


The Orphanage

by HoneyLavender00



Series: Eyes of Lilac and Lavender [1]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Backstory, Character Study, Childhood, Childhood Friends, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gardens & Gardening, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Orphanage, Orphans, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:07:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22139803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoneyLavender00/pseuds/HoneyLavender00
Summary: A girl, crying, steps into the orphanage. Her appearance is plain and dainty, except for the brilliant color of her eyes…Lavender.Her name was Shiori Umesaki. And Maki Harukawa knows that she should pay no mind to this girl. But soon she's stuck giving the crybaby a tour—trying her best not to listen to the voice of a girl who's lost more than she's willing to tell.Both children needed a friend, and they found each other at the perfect time.The story of Maki Harukawa, her career as an assassin, and the people that she met along the way.(Part 1 of the "Eyes of Lilac and Lavender" series)
Relationships: Harukawa Maki & Original Character(s)
Series: Eyes of Lilac and Lavender [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801582
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. Could We Be Friends?

**Author's Note:**

> These chapters are a part of Part 1: The Orphanage, in the series "Eyes of Lilac and Lavender"

When the girl opened her eyes, an unknown landscape filled her vision.

She was laying on her back, while something prickled and tickled the side of her face. She turned her head to see that she was laying on grass—such a color that it could never have known spring. It was the color of decay. The girl could only see a bit of forestry, but not much from her point of view on the grass.

How had she come to be here? And where was "here?" she wondered.

A mist pressed close, surrounding her. It was so close that it seemed more of a blanket than fog. It smelled damp, like rain falling on a buildings crumbling roof. The mist slowly swirled around her, touching her. And not just figuratively, no, it felt like it was really touching her, like a blind person would. It crept up her sleeves and down the neckline of her attire. The mist was like a liquid running on and along her body, wet on bare skin. Fingerless, yet it touched her. Eyeless, yet it weighed her with its stare. It heard the beating of her heart and swept in and out of her mouth with each quick and shallow breath.

It was…disgusting.

It was enough of a reason for her to stand up.

As the girl gathered her senses, she saw that she was standing in a courtyard of sorts—although not much could be seen due to the cloudy sky and dark atmosphere.

'Judging from that locker, this…place…is civilized.' she thought. 'I suppose someone must have opened it and let me out.'

But, who had let her out?

A twig snapped near her, while tree branches creaked in the wind. And suddenly, as suddenly as she'd awakened, every piece of greenery was a threat to her.

'Stop.' she backed up to the locker. 'Stop, and remember what you know already.'

"My name is Maki Harukawa." the girl said out loud.

Maki felt so sure saying that. It gave her some reassurance that she knew one given fact, at least about herself.

And, she also knew another one.

"I'm an assassin." she said. "I kill people for money, money that I don't even get to keep." But, it was okay. Because that money was sent to the orphanage, her childhood home.

The caregivers and head nanny in the orphanage were the closest she had to parents. And for all she knew, hers could be dead, or worse off. Likewise, the other orphans were the closest she had to siblings.

But, there was one girl who she'd held by the hand to the end. Until she'd…well, that's not to mention the others who followed in her footsteps because of Maki.

However, that was in the past. 'There's no use thinking about them now.' Maki surveyed her surroundings. 'Not in unknown territory.'

Assassination is not the best future she could've had. Because for all she knew, she could've been a happy girl who went to school with friends and had a loving family—

But it would be idiotic to think of that now. 'Pull yourself together, Maki!' she thought. 'The unknown is dangerous, and that's what kills the amateurs first.'

Maki shook her head. "Stop—" she covered her ears, breathing deeply. Maki remembered a technique an assassin had taught her. "—and take a breath."

Think.

Just who are you Maki Harukawa?

\--------------------

The best smell in the whole world is hot popcorn slathered in criminal amounts of butter cooked in the old copper-bottomed pot.

Maki runs over to the switch and turns the lights off, running to the old couch in the back losing it's fluff, and takes her seat. The other children hurriedly bring in chairs and stools, blankets and pillows, all to share between them on this cool autumn evening.

The mindless chatter begins to dim down when the television turns on. They stare at it, letting the artificial light burn into their eyes. Everyone snuggles deeper into the blanket fort, and the kid next to Maki buries his face in the bowl of popcorn they were supposed to share. Giving him a menacing look, he backs off enough for Maki to take a small handful and stuff it into her mouth.

These were the nights she felt appreciative of. The nights of them kids, watching late night cartoons or movies, munching on blazing hot popcorn that burns the roof of their mouths, parallel gazes at the TV.

As much as Maki disliked how every child stuck to her like bees and honeycomb, they were the closest she had to siblings. Siblings that she hated to take care of!

The nannies there were mostly high school volunteers looking for a few community hours, but there were some nannies that worked there as their career! Maki pitied them to have to live there and throw away their futures for some brats. What made them go so low?

But like she did with the nannies, Maki often wondered about the future. What will hers be like? Sometimes it felt like there was no future for her, that the orphanage was the only place she would ever know.

After all, everyone said that her parents left her.

"All wrapped in a little blanket and tucked into a basket on the doorstep, something you'd see straight out of a movie!" The head nanny, Fuuka, once told her.

Of course every orphan has wondered at least once about their parents. When Maki was five, she dreamt that her father was the immortal king of another dimension, and he'd married a human woman who birthed a half-and-half daughter that he had to abandon.

Then, when she was eight, Maki thought her parents were the king and queen of a foreign country that was being attacked, and had to abandon their daughter on the doorstep of the orphanage.

These were only the impressions of movies and books. Now, Maki was proud to be ten years old. Not very significant, but she just didn't know what to think about anything anymore.

Her parents.

Her future.

Everything.

But, like everyone, she learned to stop worrying about these things. Because she'd never get the answer until that stage in her life.

Maki takes another popcorn kernel, and plops it into her mouth—Its burns much more preferable than what she could inflict on herself.

\--------------------

If you've dreamt of clouds, then surely you've ascended to the heavens. But in this small room, barely accessorized by its occupant, heaven couldn't be farther from her reach.

At the alarm set to the hour, Maki Harukawa gets dressed for the day. She combs, brushes, and loops her hair into pigtails—while the thudding and thrashing of early risers, like herself, fill the hall outside the bedroom.

'Not good.' Maki thought. 'That shouldn't be happening for at least another hour!'

Diagonally to the dresser, another bed sits in the sunlight. Empty. Yet stacks on stacks of books were toppled on top.

Snatching one from the bed, Maki runs into the hall with only half a mind to operate. The cook serves the best breakfasts at sunrise. And with this crowd, the chances of a grade A meal would dwindle in little less than an hour.

A boy with big hair—and a little girl with several colorful hair clips—join Maki.

"Ichihara. Why is everyone up so early?" Maki asks.

Hisao Ichihara was not the smartest of individuals. With glasses that framed his eyes, and freckles dusting the bridge of his nose—most girls found him to be absolutely adorable. Maki couldn't say she shared the same opinion, but it was his sweet personality that she most valued in him.

"Oh, there've been rumors going around about a new girl joining us."

Hisao Ichihara, only a year older than Maki, grabs the hand of his younger sister, tiny Ena Ichihara. "Even Ena's manage to catch word of the news."

Ena Ichihara. A six year old with as much intellect as colorful clips in her hair. Ena was well-read, and her criticisms were often taken as offensive by the “small-minded” in her words.

Though they'd only been residents of the orphanage for five months, the Ichihara siblings were better acquainted with the older kids than she was.

And yet they always bothered to include her.

Maki shakes her head. "I haven't heard. Is she something special?"

"Enough for everyone to get up early." Ena replies.

"Ena and I are going to be playing basketball with a couple of kids after breakfast, I don't suppose you'd want to join us…?" Hisao asks.

Ena happily shakes her arm. "Harukawa-san, Harukawa-san!"

"No thanks. Maybe later." Maki says apologetically.

"It's always maybe, maybe, maybe with you. Isn't it? We were close when Kanezawa was around. Can't we be that close again?"

But Maki stopped listening when the bell for breakfast began to ring.

"Sorry. Maybe later, Ichihara."

\--------------------

There was a new girl joining them today. And during breakfast, she was only an anticipated rumor.

"I heard she hasn't spoken since her parents died." Said one boy.

"Well, I heard that she's mute." Another said.

"That's just a rumor!" Said one girl. "Because I heard, she lost her family inheritance!"

"Well, I heard that she's filthy rich."

"If she's rich, couldn't she buy a new momma and poppa?" Asked a particularly young boy.

"That's…not how it works." The girl replied.

"Did you know that she—"

"I think she—"

"I heard she—"

Maki didn't talk. But heard. And listened. Waiting for the rumored girl herself.

Until Madame, the head nanny, walked her through the front door.

She looked to be like any new orphan. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she scanned the room for the nearest exit. 

Curiously, they stopped on Maki—a plain face among dozens. She noticed that her eyes were a brilliant color, resembling identically to the lavender that grew in the front yard.

Her irises…had this…this edge to them. Something dangerously acute.

Maki felt vulnerable. Being singled out, she had the mental instinct to look away. Instead, the two stubborn girls continued to stare.

Brilliant as they were, only her eyes stood out to Maki. The rest of her was quite plain. She had a bob of hair that refused to sit still. She wore layer after layer of clothing, all dull. And her skirt was long, hemmed with frills.

Frills. Ruffles. Skirts. Expensive jackets.

'She's a rich girl, isn't she? So why would she be in an orphanage like this..?' Maki thought.

'What happened to her parents…?'

There was a scratch on her left thigh, barely visible. Maki couldn't see to verify it, and did not care to. Most orphans were survivors from accidents. (cars, fires, you name it!) and she was used to it.

So what made this girl so special? So different? She came in sobbing, a natural crybaby, she could tell. So what was so unique about her?

'I like how she looks me in the eyes. She doesn't back down easily.' Maki thought.

'Dammit!' Without realizing it, it was now Maki's turn to introduce herself. Every child, in order of youngest to oldest, were to say their name, and shake her hand.

After the girl who'd been gossiping at breakfast introduces herself, everyone looked expectantly at Maki—waiting to see how she'd seize up this girl. 

Unfortunately, they'd be disappointed to know that that's not going to happen. She planned to do what she must and never speak to the girl again.

She held out her hand. "Hello. My name is Maki Harukawa. It's nice to meet you."

The girl only nods. But her eyes say something more.

They challenge each other to a "staring contest" of sorts. Both refusing to look away.

'Seriously, what's with this girl?' Maki thought, growing hotheaded. 'First she comes in crying, and now she's trying to stare me down. What the heck?'

The girl, overwhelmed, looks away. Instead continuing her introductions with the nannies.

'…Thank god that's over with.'

After finishing her introductions, Madame guided the girl to her office.

"Hmph. She's probably going to offer her some cheap sentiment. Let's go!" An older boy calls out.

"All the talk and excitement of her arrival, and yet we didn't see much of her. They didn't even tell us her name! The audacity." An older girl complains.

"What'd you expect? She's a prissy rich girl. Why would she tell us her name?" Another older boy sneers.

With the teenagers gone, the kids stuck around the Madame's office, asking, no, begging Maki to eavesdrop on their conversation.

'Those little brats!' Too scared to do it themselves, the children picked their oldest comrade—which happened to be Maki, at eleven years old.

Rolling her eyes, she flicked a boy's nose. He held it in pain, but gave a thumbs up—laughing with the rest of the children.

Pushing her hair out of the way, Maki pressed her ear against the keyhole in the door. (which Madame never locked anyways, nobody did.) She eavesdropped on what could only be another unfortunate event—and that it turned out to be.

Her name was Shiori Umesaki.

Her family went on a business trip when there was suddenly a storm that flooded the perimeter.

Her mother and father drowned inside the sealed car. Shiori and her sister got separated in the water that fell over houses, businesses, and people. People were hurt and injured, and started to bleed heavily.

The next morning, Shiori found her sister's corpse on the beach.

She survived the incident because a helicopter patrolling the sky found her.

"I—I couldn't—"

It was quiet through the keyhole, but the girl started crying. A lot. Hard.

"Oh, sweetheart…you are a survivor. It was not your fault, my dear." Madame comforted.

Maki was disappointed in herself. Really, really disappointed. It was inappropriate for her to have eavesdropped on their conversation, that was obvious. She'd heard something that she wasn't supposed to…

Maki thought about the orphanage, and the people in it. The kids were all survivors of something, something dangerous. But they dared to be hopeful—that everything will be alright.

'Is…Is this what adults meant? Is this the innocence of youth?'

Maki felt a sudden love and admiration for the orphanage. After all, it was her home too. Her family. Wasn't she trying to cling to that hope?

"Guys, I don't think we should be doing this. Doesn't it seem wrong to—"

Maki's sentence was interrupted when she heard the click clack of footsteps from inside the room coming closer and closer to the door. 

The children scattered like ants. Maki, trying to run, was yanked back by hair that had caught in the lock. She pulled and pulled, but it hurt more than words could describe.

"Goddammit, can't I just—Cut! It! Off—"

Finally, it tugged free from the keyhole. Maki attempted to run from the office to the main hall, but the door opened—with Madame and Shiori Umesaki.

'Her eyes…they're…pretty…' Maki buried the thought under layers and layers of brain soil.

"Harukawa, it'd be wonderful if you could be a friend to Umesaki, and make her time here pleasant and welcoming."

"Sure. I don't see why not." Maki replied tensely.

"Very well. I'm sure you have already heard about the incident. You might have been able to get away with eavesdropping on your own, but nothing could hide the giggling of the children."

Madame frowned. "You're better than this, Harukawa. And I expect you to apologize for this intrusion of privacy."

'Drat.' Her ears burned.

"I'm uh, sincerely sorry, Umesaki. I should've known better, and I hope you can forgive me." 

Shiori nodded. And, again, it felt like a punch to the stomach.

Still, Madame wouldn't do anything to punish them. Maki was her right-hand. And the kids, well, she loved them too much to do anything.

And yet, Madame found Maki to be punishable enough to be in charge of being Shiori's "friend" and making her time here "pleasant and welcoming" wasn't the embarrassment enough?

'I guess it's no surprise she'd give me the role of babysitter. She must be, at most, four years younger than me—She wouldn't survive with those jerks.'

The teenagers. No one adopted them, no. Because they wanted someone that they could raise through their own fashion. Why would they adopt a teenager that's developed their own moral compass?

The teenagers have turned to rebelling, and in that case, Maki felt a bit bad for them.

Shiori shyly reaches out and holds Maki's hand—ready to be guided through the orphanage.

"Um, okay then. Let's—let's get going."

Maki's heart pounded like a basketball.

'Her hand is…soft and warm…' Maki thought. 'It's pretty like porcelain. I'd bet she's just as delicate.'

Maki's face burned with Shiori so close, but it cooled as soon as they began the tour. Maki never enthusiastic for the tired routine.

\--------------------

"This is the dining room, but kids eat wherever they want."

"This hallway extends to the dorm rooms. The Magnolia Wing, and the Juniper Wing. If you want to find someone, look at the name plates. All the people living in that room will be listed there."

"This is a bathroom. There's also three down the hall, and one by the main room. There's also a small shower room, one for girls and one for boys, near the back door. There's no privacy, so if you have any decency use the bathrooms. It gets packed in the mornings, so wake up early."

Having done the same to kids over and over again, Maki had agonizingly memorized her routine.

After half an hour, Maki grew to be miffed.

Shiori looked to be overwhelmed, as expected. She was decently tall for her age, definitely beating the younger ones in height.

"Look, Umesaki. I know this is confusing. But if you want, I can continue to hold your hand through this. For as long as it takes, deal?"

Shiori turned to her, still holding her hand. "Could, could we be friends, Harukawa-san…?

Normally, Maki wouldn't be so easy on her. However, each child's situation had to be handled with delicacy. And Shiori was no different.

Intrigued by the first words she'd heard from the girl, Maki replied. "Sure. We can be friends, Umesaki."

They held hands around the orphanage, letting go when Maki pointed out little details to her. The rest of the tour…wasn't so bad.  
It was a slow development, but Shiori began to smile and occasionally converse with Maki. 

"Once every month, a nanny will take you out shopping with your roommates. I'm sure you're used to something more…proper? I don't know. You can spend any money you've earned on anything you want at the stores."

"Anything?" Shiori asked.

"Well, not necessarily. We aren't allowed any video games or consoles, but we make do. And you'll have to too."

To Maki's surprise, Shiori chuckled.

"Yeah. Well, it's not like I'd miss that. My…my sister did enough to show me what video games could do to a person…"

Seeing Shiori's face fall, Maki changed the subject.

"Hm. And I thought you'd be making a great sacrifice. Okay then, princess, what would you spend your money on?"

"Hmm…I've never spent my own money before…" Shiori smiled, just slightly. "And you said I could buy anything, Harukawa-san? Absolutely anything I want?" 

"Yes…?"

Shiori spread her arms in the air. "Then I'd buy a castle. An enormous, breathtaking castle with a white picket fence surrounding the most beautiful garden." She batted her eyelashes. "And, the most beautiful princess."

Maki chuckled. "And of course this 'castle' would have no room for, say, any wild, barbaric, savage beasts, now would it?"

"Of course not!"

Shiori squeezed Maki's hand. "That's why you, Harukawa-san, will be my knight in shining armor. Ready at the gates!"

"And leave me to the wolves, would you?"

"Well—no."

Shiori's shook Maki's arm. "Because you'd be a warrior princess!"

"A warrior princess, huh? I think I just might like that better than being some old guard."

"A castle housing the two most beautiful princesses!" Shiori laughed, the sound of it agreeable to Maki's ears.

"You know, a princess shouldn't hide behind her hair."

"Oh! I—I guess so." After tucking the bangs behind her ear, Shiori's demeanor brightened. "Thank you. Harukawa-san."

"…Of course."

And with a smile like that, so lively and unembarrassed, Maki could withstand this. Just a little longer. In fact, if she imagined it, she could almost see herself smiling as well.

They never let go of each other's hands.

\--------------------

That evening, an elaborate dinner was held to celebrate the arrival of Shiori Umesaki. Food was passed around the room, and smiles were free for a dozen. Full and satisfied from a hearty meal, orphans and nannies alike returned to their rooms.

Maki changes into pajamas in the comfort of her room. She undoes her pigtails, and long, deep brown hair falls down her back. But before she could possibly reach for the hairbrush on the dresser, somebody raps at the door.

Maki groaned under her breath. "Not now."

Maki was pestered for bedtime stories every night. Mythology, storybooks, fantasies—Maki had a book for everything. 

So imagine her surprise when she opened the door to find Shiori sprinting into the room, contagiously happy.

"Harukawa-san! I finally found your room. I—I mean—I suppose I should say our room."

Shiori dumps her bags at the foot of the spare bed and begins pulling out folded stacks of clothes. Standing like a waiting coat rack, Maki stares blankly at Shiori.

"Wait wait—What do you mean, our room?"

Despite her outburst, Shiori nervously fidgets with the hem of her skirts. "W—Well, I'm your roommate! Madame figured it'd be best if I was paired with you."

"Well, how fantastic is that…" Maki sighs as she pulls stacks of books off the bed, and throws spare pillows and covers on top. There was a retort at the tip of her tongue, but now her bed seemed all the more appealing than a petty argument.

Once finished prepping the bed, Shiori was already dressed in her pajamas; a deep purple two-piece hemmed with frills.

"Your bed. Now, I'm going to sleep."

"I'll try not to be a bother to you, Harukawa-san." Shiori, albeit still slightly intimidated by the girl, mumbled into her pillow. "…Goodnight, Harukawa-san."

Maki was unsure. Shiori looked so…tiny. Bundled into her covers like that. Had she been too harsh? They'd had a good time earlier…

'Dammit! Why is this so hard?' 

She'd been a jerk. After all, the girl was, without a doubt, still recovering… "…Goodnight. Umesaki." Embarrassingly, she added. "Sweet dreams."

'Well, that's a start.'

"Sweet dreams, Harukawa-san."

Maki slipped back into the thick covers, admittedly forgetting to brush her hair. And really, she should've slept well, like always. But how could she when Shiori was so close and snoring like hell?

Well, now that the nameplate read "Maki Harukawa and Shiori Umesaki" She'd have to deal with it. Better yet, see the good in it.

\--------------------

The next morning, Maki heard not the alarm, but the thumping of footsteps.

'Crap. It's late!'

Maki quickly tied her hair into a ponytail and headed towards Shiori's bed, aggravated.

"Ugh. She's not even awake yet! It's midday and I'm already mad." She grumbled.

Switching her strategy, Maki sweetened her voice. "Hey now sleepy head, don't you remember? It's time to get up."

"Mmm." Shiori mumbled into her pillow, pulling the covers over her head. "I don't wanna…"

"Come on, don't you want breakfast?" Maki lifted the covers. "Umesaki, don't you—" Shiori slapped her hand away.

"Fine. I really didn't want to do this."

Maki took off her shoes, climbed onto the bed, and began to jump.

Shiori groaned. Her eyes slowly opened, then widened with surprise. She was being bounced up and down on her bed—wrapped tightly in bundles of blankets from her chin to her feet—like a clumsily cocooned caterpillar.

Maki didn't stop jumping. “Didn't I tell you to get up early, Umesaki?"

Maki didn't wake up late, ever. She kept an alarm clock by her bedside table…

But when she saw it sitting on her nightstand without it's luminous red numbers, along with a couple of bolts and screws near the edge of it, Maki knew she had underestimated Shiori.

Shiori disassembled the alarm.

'Was this girl seriously that cunning? She snored so loudly that it kept me awake all night, and I have the eyebags to prove it! When had she found the time to disassemble the alarm when I was wide awake the entire time?!'

Maki stopped jumping, and Shiori fell down with an "oof" onto the plushness of the bare bed. She was still tightly wrapped in the covers, well…the ones that were left. Plushies, pillows, and blankets littered the floor, Maki had made a mess.

'And it'll probably be me who has to clean it up.' Maki thought.

Maki gave Shiori the coldest glare she could muster. Now she was seriously pissed off. 

Shiori seemed to sense what was coming, as she hid her face in the mattress.

"Umesaki. Dearest. What type of insolent child disassembles their roommate's alarm clock in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!" Maki's words grow into a yell.

"Nrgh!" Shiori's face burns with shame.

Maki rips off the covers, leaving her exposed. Shiori squeals in shock and curls up into a little ball. At first, she tries to cover her mouth with her hands, but ends up covering her entire face instead.

"So I'm asking you a final time, Umesaki. Did you, or did you not, tamper with my alarm clock?" Maki asked.

Shiori finally mutters a quiet—"Mhm."

"I KNEW IT! Ugh, why would you do that?!"

Maki scolded her. There was steam coming from her ears and she was breathing flames. Satan might as well be out of the job because in that moment, Maki was the new ruler of the underworld.

"NO, NO, NO, I get it! I really do! You're a privileged, spoiled, princess. OF COURSE you wouldn't respect your roommates! And OF COURSE they'd room you with me—!"

Just as Maki was about to yell at her again, she saw Shiori stare at her with watery eyes. Her bottom lip trembled, and she could hear the soft hiccups she was trying to hide.

Maki couldn't resist it. She was completely hopeless against this girl.

'…What kind of person am I to have made her look at me like that after what she's gone through?' She wondered.

Maki backed off, pacing the room. Shiori got up, looking defeated.

Maki cringed. 'I shouldn't have lashed out at her like that…after all, she's still trying to figure herself out. I should probably apologize to her…'

But Maki was too stubborn to ever admit when she was wrong.

"Uh, Umesaki, it's okay. Just. Please, get dressed, alright?"

Maki straightened her back. "Where do you wanna go first: the shower rooms, or straight to the dining room?" Despite her frustrations, Maki was still in charge of taking care of her, 

'She'll be lost if I leave her be.'

Shiori still looked frightened. "The…the shower rooms, maybe?" She hesitantly asked. 

She looked down. "…I'm really, really sorry Harukawa-san. I shouldn't have done that. It was disrespectful of me. I'm…sorry."

Maki didn't know what to say at this point.

"…It'll be fine."

Maki rushed to get ready and leave the room to give Shiori privacy, though she didn't understand what the point was in that if they were going to be showering together anyways.

'Showering together…?'

An uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach. Maki didn't enter the shower rooms, because she was the type to beat the rest to the bathrooms and take her time showering. Showering in the shower rooms was something she avoided.

Shiori came out of the room, and they left the dormitories—only to find that all the shower rooms and bathrooms were occupied.

"Well, I'm sure we can wait a couple of minutes for someone to finish in the shower room. It shouldn't take long." Maki said.

Shiori took the hem of her skirts and bunched it up in her fists, no doubt thinking this was her fault too.

Maki tried to find a solution. "Okay. How would you feel about showering after fitness hours? I'll try to win us a spot in the shower rooms if you'd like."

Shiori shakes her head a bit, and then says something under her breath. "Actually…can you try to get one of the bathrooms instead? I—I wanna take a bath."

Maki was not exactly shocked. Shiori was still wearing skirts long enough to cover the scar on her leg even during the spring. Maki wouldn't be surprised if she were cracked porcelain and did not wish to be seen.

Afterall, who in their right mind would think that scars are flattering?

\--------------------

To say that Shiori was hungry is an understatement. Because the girl ate like she'd been starved for weeks. Exhausted from that morning, Maki gave the rest of her breakfast to Shiori.

"Here." Maki said, pushing the plate towards her. "You can have the rest."

"Thanks, Harukawa-san!" Shiori said, hungrily reaching for the plate.

She didn't question the act of kindness. There was no time to. Instead she chomped down on the leftover blueberry pancakes—slathering an excessive amount of syrup and cream on them.

The day went as scheduled for a Monday—Shiori refused to go anywhere without Maki, and the kids still followed her like bees and honey.

Maki was bored. That is, until fitness hours. Children were dressed in clothes that were suitable for sports. While the clothes that Maki wore daily were fit for physical activity, Shiori didn't have anything.

"Until the next time you'll be able to get some new clothes, I'll let you borrow mine. All you have are dresses and skirts. Now, you can be a bit more comfortable around the orphanage."

Shocked, Shiori held up the oversized shirt to her chest in the mirror.

"…What? Really? Thank you so much!" She'd said it with excitement, as if Maki had given her something precious and worth cherishing.

'Maybe, to her it was.' Maki thought. 'Though I can't see how oversized shirts and a pair of shorts could be seen as something worth cherishing to an adorable little girl like Shiori.'

Everyone was talking in groups around the field, and children ran on the greenery to play tag with each other.

Before they noticed, a group of boys ran around Maki and Shiori from the back of the orphanage. They were fast, and without intentions of stopping. Instinctively, Maki put an arm in front of Shiori and pushed her back from being run over.

Maki glared at them. But when the boys were gone, she realized that she was holding Shiori against her chest—like a protector. 

Embarrassed, Maki put her arms up—like a sign of surrender—and distanced herself from Shiori, who looked at her with innocent eyes, clutching her water bottle in small hands.

'Ugh, where did that behavior come from?' Maki wondered.

A whistle pierces through the air, and everyone covers their ears.

However, the whistle draws everyone's attention to Coach Suzuki, their part-time nanny and full-time coach. Everyone looked forward to her classes.

"Alright, alright everybody, listen up! Today, you're going to do your warm up for half an hour. Then, you're going to…"

Coach Suzuki flipped through the pages of a clipboard, listing exercises for every age group.

"Ah, so nothing really special today." Maki whispered to Shiori.

"Okay. So uh…where should I go?" Shiori asked.

"Madame has assigned you to the same routine as mine, supposedly so we won't be separated." Maki said.

Although she didn't know whether to be happy or disappointed about it.

Maki glanced at Shiori. Her heart raced just a bit before she forced it to calm down.

'Shiori just looks so…cute, I guess, wearing my clothes.'

The shirt was way too big for her, the hem touching her knees. Shiori also wore a pair of old pink sneakers Maki had grown out of a long time ago.

Maki sighed. "We're definitely going to need to get you some new clothes."

After the thirty minute warm up, everyone lined up on the field in starting positions.

"What are they doing?" Shiori asked, pointing at everyone's starting positions.

"That's the starting position. Start in a crouch position with your front knee over and both hands on the starting line. Place your back knee on the ground next to your front ankle. On the "set" extend both legs so that your hips are slightly higher than your shoulders. Lean your shoulders slightly over the starting line. Bend your front knee about 90 degrees and your back knee about 110 to 130 degrees. Distribute the majority of your body weight between your hands and front leg."

"Harukawa-san that sounds like an article from Wikipedia." Shiori said blatantly.

Maki shrugged. "That's because it is. I think. What, you think that by repeating it to kids over and over again I wouldn't memorize it?"

Shiori snickered. "Yeah. Yeah okay, I see your point."

"Are you ready?" Maki asked.

"Mhm." Shiori made a small grunt and firmly nodded her head.

"I'll start off slow so that you can keep up."

"…Sure, Harukawa-san."

But oh, was Maki wrong about her capabilities.

Shiori had the most stamina Maki had ever seen in a person. Shiori leapt over obstacles like she had the wings of an angel, and was a blur next to Maki as they ran together. Shiori's abilities nearly matched Maki's, but one thing was for sure—the girl had much stronger endurance, lasting longer than her older peers.

Everyone stood aghast, not knowing what to do about the eight-year old that even beat Coach Suzuki in a run.

Maki didn't know how to feel when Shiori marched up to her with a proud grin, expecting praise. She wasn't disappointed in her, per say, though she wouldn't admit that she was proud either. So, Maki gave her a small pat on the head.

Shiori gave Maki a sweet smile.

"I thought you said that this would be hard, Harukawa-san." She said quite smugly.

Maki couldn't help but laugh. "It would be, for a normal child. But we've established that you certainly are not one, right?"

Shiori spared one of her biggest grins for Maki.

'Perhaps…Shiori isn't so bad after all.'

\--------------------

Just as she promised, Maki raced to the nearest bathroom and waited for Shiori to come back from drinking water, challenging any kid who dared to try to take the bathroom from her. It worked, as everyone hurried to try and claim the next bathroom, or admit defeat and slink back to the shower rooms.

Maki's standing there, tapping her foot, holding two bags containing toiletries to take a shower when Shiori sprints into the bathroom—her face burning.

Maki relaxed as hot water poured from the faucet. Shiori, being the little indecisive punk that she was, kept switching between taking a bath or a shower. That is, until she saw the strawberry scented bubbles packet. And decided that it was the best decision to take a bath.

She hurriedly sat in the bathtub before Maki had a chance to look, and poured the sweet scented powder into the tub. The light pink bubbles popped as Maki got in. And Shiori was already playing happily—A foam covering her body.

While she played, Maki drew her knees to chin, and let herself bathe in the warmth. Maki realized that she didn't spend as much time with the other kids as she did now with Shiori.

Shiori called them "friends" but could they really be called that? Friends? They'd known each other for two days. What was that worth in the long-run?

'Don't get attached.' Maki scolded herself. 'Everyone leaves eventually. And she'll…she'll be gone one day too.'

God. Was she really that distraught over Kanazawa?

"Um…Harukawa-san?"

Maki's head shot up. Shiori was helplessly and completely covered in soap suds, and her soapy hair swirled upwards like ice cream.

"Oh my goodness, Umesaki! You're so cute!" Maki laughed loudly, completely forgetting what she'd said.

"It's not funny Harukawa-san! I can't move without soap falling into my eyes!" Shiori wiggled under the weight.

Maki breathed deeply, her stomach aching. "Yeah. Yeah you're right, it's not funny. Close your eyes, Umesaki, I'll turn on the faucet."

Shiori closed her eyes, and Maki scrubbed her hair under the hot water. All was quiet, until—

"…Shiori Umesaki, eight years old, death by bubbles."

"Harukawa-san!" Shiori yelled, but laughed into her hands.

"Sorry. Couldn't help it." Maki smiled, and continued scrubbing.

Maki was so lost in her own head—that she didn't notice when Shiori began to cry.

"Umesaki? What's wrong? Is the water too hot?"

"No!" She screamed, then stopped. "N-No! I mean, it's fine. Water. Is. Fine."

The soap suds were washed away, and water was filling the tub.

Maki felt Shiori shake, and saw something on her back.

"Hey, what's—"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it! Just finish, Harukawa-san." Shiori wrapped her arms around herself, shivering.

Maki stopped the faucet. She splished and splashed through the water, despite the mess on the floor, and swam her way to Shiori. Maki placed her hands firmly on the girl's shoulders.

Maki had done it thousands of times before, but she knew what she needed to say.

"Tell me how I can help you feel safe."

"I-I thought it was fine! That I'd be fine—" Shiori sobbed. "But I'm not! I can't—I can't stand being swallowed whole like that again!"

Shiori avoided eye contact with Maki, covering certain parts of her body. Maki hurriedly unclogged the drain, when she saw…

Shiori's eyes widened in horror. She covered her head with her arms. "No, no, no, no, no—"

"…Umesaki?"

…that there were scars all over her body.

Shiori stopped crying, a dead look in her eyes. She doesn't realize when Maki brings her in towards her arms.

There was a large scar on her back, an "x" from her shoulders to her hips. Another scar, slightly underneath her collarbone. As well as the scar that she'd seen underneath her skirts—encircling her left thigh.

Besides the biggest scars, scratches peppered her body.

"…I…I thought I was ready." Shiori said.

It was stupid to have a bath. Absolutely stupid. Shiori lost her family to water. What had made Maki think she was ready to be submerged in it once more?

Because Shiori didn't stop smiling—because she lied best when she smiled.

Shiori shifted. “It'd happened so fast. And it hurt so, so much. It still does, but not as much as before. I used to have so much."

Shiori sighed. She smiled, slightly. "Oh, you should have seen it, Harukawa-san! The jewels my mother owned were divine. And the dresses my father bought me were beautiful."

She paused. "But—But now I have nothing. Nothing but these…these things…to remind me of just how pathetic I am.”

"Umesaki…why would you rush yourself into this?" Maki said.

Shiori didn't say anything. Instead, she wept, and Maki let her.

Maki was not the best at comforting people. Still, she knew that sometimes, crying was for the best.

Maki hugged Shiori's small figure as she wept, and Shiori desperately held her. Their skin had been long dry, but it was now wet with tears.

It made Maki's heart ache to see her like this.

Eventually, Shiori stopped sobbing—and both girls got dressed.

Maki brushed Shiori's hair. With a hairband around her fingers, she pulls Shiori's hair back. "A princess…shouldn't hide behind her hair. Not when she's already so beautiful." 

Shocked, Shiori's fingers linger on the ponytail. She smiles sympathetically.

When the last strand of hair was brushed, they returned to their room.

When the door closes behind them, Shiori hops to hug Maki. "Thank you, Harukawa-san."

Hesitant, Maki chuckles. "You dork. You don't have to call me that."

"Well, what else would I call you? You're Harukawa-san." Shiori said.

"We're…we're friends, right?"

"Mhm." Shiori nods against Maki's shoulder. Warm—Maki was so warm.

"…Then call me Harukawa."

"Hm. Harukawa…Harukawa…" Shiori yawned. "Mm. I do like that."

"I'm glad."

Maki was surprised to see Shiori asleep.

Maki sighed. "My sweet, sweet, dork." 

Maki picked up Shiori, and placed her on her bed. Kneeling by Shiori's side, her eyes felt heavy. Maki put her head in her arms, and fell asleep.

"No. Not—not on the ground—C'mere."

With a surprising strength, Shiori pulled Maki into the bed with her—curling up by her side.

Shocked, but not entirely surprised, Maki gives in. She pulls the covers over their heads, puts an arm around Shiori, and slips into deep slumber.

"Home" was not a place, it was a feeling. Because the warmth that came from the other was wholeheartedly welcomed. And for the first time in either of their lives, Maki Harukawa and Shiori Umesaki allowed themselves to dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyes of Lilac and Lavender, originally posted on amino, will continue to be updated here on ao3. A complete rewrite is in process! :)


	2. Let's Go in the Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maki and Shiori tend to the orphanage's gardens. The orphanage receives an important letter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been meaning to post this since Valentine's Day, but here we are. Enjoy!

The sun shines everyday against a blue canvas, giving the earth the fruits it bears. Rainfall replenishes the ground, and seedlings grow into sprouts that grow into stalks as they reach towards the rays of the sun.

Meanwhile, something creeps under the planet’s leaves—bugs crawling through moss and moist dirt, buzzing through the air to birdsong, the thrum of nature’s soundtrack.

Nature lives and breathes as one, and Shiori Umesaki marvelled at how everything had the potential to exist under her own two feet.

Because within it, her body wasn't a foreign thing anymore. She was a piece in nature's network, giving and taking.

Shiori relished in all of it: the way beams of sunlight peeked through the gaps of her straw sunhat, made from dry grass that had prickled under her bare feet, the rivers that were as impossibly cool and clean as the air, and the trees that grew tall and towered.

Shiori loved nature. But, Maki Harukawa learned, that Shiori Umesaki loved flowers most of all—they were as fascinating to her as life itself.

\--------------------

After the bathtub incident, Shiori talked to Maki constantly. And something she'd mentioned multiple times was that she was considering becoming a botanist. But, then she got other ideas.

"Oh! Actually, you know what, I'm going to become a florist! Yeah! I'll own a little flower shop on a street corner." Shiori said.

"Oh, seriously?" Maki replied, amused.

"Mhm! I'll have bouquets for every occasion: Valentine's Day, White Day, anniversaries, birthdays…it comes with the job, you know!"

"Oh, definitely! Absolutely." Maki was itching to tell her that she was only eight years old. Shiori had the rest of her life ahead of her! She could change her mind—

"…Harukawa, do you think I'd make a good florist?" Shiori mumbled.

—but Maki didn't have the heart to tell her, not when Shiori took such pride in her passions.

"Not a good florist—" Maki replied. "—but the best florist."

Shiori beamed.

And it was because of Shiori's love for flowers that they'd include it in their daily activities.

The orphanage was big, that's for sure. It was sponsored by businesses and companies that the children weren't aware of.

'And really, do we have to be aware?' Maki thought one day. 'I mean, for all we care, they put food into our mouths and give us a bed to sleep in. What more do we need?'

Because of its space, the space that included the sectioned dormitories and dining hall was only one part of the orphanage—it was separated into pieces.

And by the back door at the side of the building, there was a path that went through several trees, and up a hill.

And at the end of that path, it opened up into the most beautiful, beautiful, garden. Well, a flower garden, and vegetable garden—to be precise.

Shiori was weak in the knees when Maki first showed it to her.

From sunflowers to tulips, and roses to poppies, Maki's little girl was jumping from flower to flower like a buzzing bee. It was absolutely adorable, so much so that Maki couldn't suppress the pet names that escaped her. 

"Oh my god! Are those—"

"Those are carnations, my lavender girl."

"Seriously—you have vegetable patches too? There's cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots—how big is this garden, Harukawa?!"

Maki laughed. "The garden's as big as it needs to be to feed an orphanage, wildflower."

"Well, if it's so big, then who tends to it?" Shiori asked. 

"If I remember correctly, it was Kanazawa. I know she'd come here and tend to the plants, but now, it's left alone. Madame tends to it." Maki laughed. "Kanazawa always was a procrastinator…"

Shiori looked up. "I get that, but what happened to Kanazawa-san?"

Maki's heart sank. Right, the Kanazawa incident. It was a sensitive subject for the orphanage.

"Uh…Kanazawa was taken away—by the men in suits—a month before you arrived."

Shiori knew as well as any of the other kids that "taken away" and the "men in suits" meant bad news. Especially when "they" took away someone as wonderful as Kanazawa.

Shiori was surprised to see that Maki looked heartbroken…was she close to Kanazawa-san? 

"H-Hey, Harukawa! If you're interested, I think the Madame would let us tend the gardens for her!" Shiori said, wanting to cheer up Maki. "That old lady doesn't have many years left in her life, and she probably wouldn't want to use them tending to a garden."

The atmosphere seemed to brighten just with her small smile. "I think I would like that."

Shiori's heart fluttered. "It's going to be so much fun! Me, spending every day in a garden, oh, it's almost a dream come true!"

"Although, it's not as big as the one I had at home…but that doesn't make it any less of a paradise."

"Oh, Harukawa! You should have seen the flowers I used to grow! There were brilliant blossoms of roses, sky-blue orchids…"

'Oh, boy…can the girl talk.'

Shiori had a motor mouth that talked more than Maki could keep up with. Shiori also had a large vocabulary for someone her age.

'But…I guess expected, coming from a highly educated family.'

Maki spaced out—until something shook her—and she saw Shiori, a pleased expression on her face, as she put a finger up and onto her lips.

"Shhhh…"

Maki was confused. And Shiori was waving wildly, yet quietly, at a white butterfly on a single strand of grass.

Together, they crawled towards the butterfly, knees and hands covered in mud, until they were sure they could get no closer without scaring it.

They laid down near the butterfly's patch of grass—stars and wonder in their eyes.

Of course, they'd seen many butterflies before—yet there's something so special about being in the presence of a living being that wasn't human. It's no wonder mankind had fondness for animals.

The butterfly seemed to be unaware of their presence, and only bothered to move a few times to flap its wings about.

A minute seemed like an hour, but it fluttered away, to do whatever it will with the rest of its day.

The two of them were on the ground, looking longingly at where the butterfly flew to. They stayed in silence, until Shiori said—

"Life…it sure is lovely, isn't it?"

Maki had no response to give to that, and she supposed that she didn't have to.

Because Shiori disregarded the butterfly and looked at her, smiling affectionately.

Shiori's the first one to get up. "Alright, let's head back to the orphanage, and see if Madame will give us permission to tend to the garden—I want us to start as soon as possible!"

"Wait—you want 'us' to work on it together?" Maki made a motion between them.

Shiori stared with squinted eyes. "Well, obviously! What else are you good for—?"

Shiori stepped away, tripping on her shoelaces until Maki grabbed her arm. "—Ensuring that you don't trip over your shoelaces, that's what."

Maki knew that she was joking. She always was. Shiori giggled, it was a little game they liked to play

Sometimes, Maki was still surprised by Shiori's wits, as she mostly matched or surpassed Maki.

'Which is why I assume we get along so well.' Maki thought. 'And maybe…Shiori will be the one to stay by my side.'

"Come on, princess." Maki takes Shiori's hand, and leads the way through the trees, down the hill, and home. "Let's go home."

\--------------------

Their (more so, Shiori's) begging was a success. The Madame gave permission to tend to the gardens, and finish the harvest.

They'd found a wash bin in a storage closet while on their cleaning duties, searching for supplies for the gardens.

Maki and Shiori locked eyes with each other. Each had the same idea.

"Oh, come on, Harukawa! Why can't we?"

"Look outside, It's too late!"

"Aw, pretty please?"

Shiori tried to talk Maki into it, but it was late! The sun was beginning to set!

Maki was resistant, and ignored Shiori. Instead, she convinced her to wait until morning. 

'She would've only listened to me.'

And so came a new day.

And there they were, at the top of the hill, in the wash bin on the ground; with the widest grins on their faces.

"Is this a stupid idea?" Shiori asked.

"Probably." Maki replied.

"Will we regret it in the future?"

"Most definitely."

But that didn't stop Maki from pushing her foot off the ground, and sending them flying down the hill.

Pebbles were bouncing around them as much as they were bouncing in the wash bin. They laughed loudly as they tumbled

down,

down,

down,

the hill.

When they reached the bottom, they're thrown out of their ride—landing face first in a patch of grass and water. There were scratches on their arms, bruises on their knees, mud on their clothes, and pebbles in their shoes.

Still, the two of them snickered. They wouldn't do it again, of course—neither of them liked going into the shower rooms. Still, it was fun while it lasted.

In the light of the August afternoon, Maki and Shiori stumbled into the bushes—and into the river. Against the noise of the crickets and cicadas, the trickling water can only just be heard—a backdrop to the noises.

"Hey, I didn't know there was a river by the orphanage." Shiori said.

"How did you think we'd water the plants?"

"I don't know! A pump, or something?"

Maki can feel the coolness of the river before she even runs her hand through it, sending ripples through it. Shiori, instead, splashes water over the bank.

"Its depth is deceptive." Maki said. Because it was as clear as a mountain spring—from the rounded stones, to the few fish underneath, everything is rendered.

"A little swim wouldn't hurt…would it?" Shiori said, a finger through her muddied hair.

They didn't have time to wade today. Maki grimaced at the state of her clothes. It wasn't a shower, necessarily, but…"I don't see why not."

Shiori grinned.

They pulled off their socks and shoes. The grass was sun-warmed beneath Maki's feet—and after a few steps, she was knee deep in the river—the water cooling her.

With scales like armour plating, the fish made its way upstream. As Maki stood there, feet in the mud, her eyes wandered too—towards the rocky bank. There was no grass growing. But there, in-between its rocks, something was.

“Harukawa?” Shiori called, walking through the water. She kneeled in it. "What is it?”

It was some sort of plant. It was a squat thing, and looked like it was only just surviving. Its leaves were crinkled and stunted. Still, it had produced a flower—although its petals curled. And at its center, was a cluster of seeds.

“This…shouldn’t be here.” Maki said.

"It really shouldn't be here…" Shiori repeated.

Shiori turned to catch Maki's expression in the corner of her eye when she said—“Harukawa, this could be your first gardening lesson!"

Shiori got up. "Now, dig it up."

Maki's head snapped up. “What? Right now? But it’s still alive."

Shiori smiled. “Then dig it carefully. I’m shocked it's alive, but it needs to be moved to sun and soil soon, or it won’t survive.”

Maki nodded emphatically. "Okay, then."

Maki tugged at the base of the plant, hoping that it would pull free of the pebbles it had taken root in, but found that it clung to the ground. She brushed the pebbles away, and dug a finger into the dirt, loosening the plant’s grip before giving it another tug. This time, the plant came away, bringing a number of roots with it.

Maki cupped it with care in her hands when Shiori spoke.

“This flower will be the source of a valuable lesson, Harukawa, so plant it with care." 

Shiori scratched at the soil with her hands. Maki focused on the moment, placing the plant and its roots into the hole.

“Now, cover it with soil. But don’t pack it down too much! Its roots will struggle to adapt to their surroundings if the pressure of the soil does not allow them to be flexible."

Shiori lifted a finger. "You see, plants are not so different from us—forced into situations where we cannot grow, surviving that we cannot live to our full potential."

Maki suppressed a smile. "So outspoken, my Umesaki."

"Oh, shut up."

Maki swept the dirt over the base of the plant. Shiori reemerged with the washbin full of water from the river.

She handed it to Maki, spilling it, who made to empty the contents of the washbin onto the plant.

“Ah!” Shiori said, holding up her hand and shaking her head.

“Don’t drown it! It would be overwhelmed by so much water all at once." Shiori held Maki's shoulders, peering at the plant. "Just moisten the ground around it.”

Maki, embarrassed, watered the plant until the ground was a deep brown. She sat back on her heels to admire their work—Shiori pleased that the rescue mission had been a success.

"How do you feel, Harukawa?"

"…Actually, not that bad."

"Good." Shiori squeezed her hand. "Wanna go inside? We can check on it tomorrow."

"You're not worried about what the Madame will say about—" Maki looked at the horrendous state of their clothes. "—this?"

Shiori waved a hand. "Nah. Madame should be feeding the babies, she'll be too tired to bother."

There wasn't a word said about the two girls who came into the orphanage soaking wet, but the muddy footprints exposed them well enough.

\--------------------

The next morning, the girls ran to the plant. But when Maki inspected it, her heart sunk.

The flower had turned brown. Maki frowned. "Did I do something wrong?"

Shiori brushed one of its petals with her fingertips. “It's a pity. I suppose we couldn't save it in time, or this wasn't its habitat.”

Shiori facepalmed. "I should have known it had survived in the riverbank for a reason! It wasn't our choice to take it from it."

Maki nodded, but felt like she had somehow failed the plant, and Shiori as well. "I'm…sorry, Shiori…I should've known."

“Hey, Harukawa? Look at the flower again." Shiori said. “It still holds the possibility for life.”

“The…the seeds!” Maki exclaimed. She'd forgotten about them in her sadness, but the seeds still remained.

Shiori tapped the stem of the plant, and the cluster of seeds eventually fell into her hands. 

Shiori held the clump up to the sun between her thumb and forefinger, turning it this way and that. “I remember…that, when dried, these seeds look like beads…actually, my mother had a bracelet of beads like these—it took my father a month’s worth of credits to buy it for her! But she'd loved it."

Shiori sighed, reminiscing. "When we lived in our smaller house, Mother and I loved to look at her jewelry. She'd take down the boxes where the jewelry was stored color-coded. 'It's costume jewelry.' she'd explained to me, a baby!" Shiori laughed. "Mother's collection—'not expensive, but fun.'"

Maki took this with curiosity. Shiori hadn’t mentioned her parents since the bathtub incident—and the sadness she felt in Shiori indicated that this tender time with her mother and father had changed too soon for her liking. 

"Mother'd open up a box decorated with violets, her favorite, and put long, waterfalls of amethyst beads around my neck, put golden bangles around my wrists from the box decorated with marigolds, or clip olive earrings on my ears from the box decorated with tea leaves." Shiori smiled, blissful. "I'd felt like a princess in her eyes."

Shiori's grip around the seeds tightened. Maki didn’t pry, and Shiori didn’t elaborate. Instead, she whipped her head up, flashing a fake smile.

"And you know, then my father became rich and she threw out her costume jewelry in exchange for real jewels, and blah blah blah!"

Shiori loosened her grip passed the seeds to Maki. “Okay, I'm done. Now, let's try this again! Here, Harukawa, break the cluster into individual seeds and plant them a short distance apart.”

Maki did as she was told, squeezing it slightly. The seeds exploded apart in her hands, and she fumbled to not drop any.

Maki could see out of the corner of her eye that Shiori had stopped short of laughing at her. Maki smiled, in spite of herself, and buried the seeds by their parent plant.

As Maki inspected the mounds of dirt that now covered the seeds, she wondered how long it would be before they sprouted.

“Water?” Maki asked Shiori, confident of the answer. When Shiori nodded, she was already filling the washbin with water.

Maki moistened each of the mounds, not overdoing it and drowning the seeds. When she was done, she stood and dusted the dirt off her hands—this was her first time planting seeds! And after the death of the parent plant, Maki was concerned about her gardening (even if it had been the end of the plant’s lifespan anyways).

Maki forced the worries from her mind in order to focus on the day. 

“The first thing on the agenda this morning, should be the growth of these plants.” Shiori said. "But now, we can only wait."

And they did wait, they waited for three weeks when Shiori led Maki to the river.

"Okay…open your eyes now!"

Maki did as she was told, opening her eyes at what had been a mound of dirt. A bit of green had her widening her eyes as she took in the sight of the young plants.

They'd grown larger than their predecessor. The leaves were wide, with a bud at its center. Maki had watched as the bud bloomed in three weeks. It nearly brought tears to her eyes.

“Ah! You did wonderfully, Maki! I knew you could do it." Shiori exclaimed from behind her.

Shiori only used Maki's given name when she'd performed excellently—and Maki let herself take pride in it.

Maki removed her hands from the ground and put them on her hips confidently. "Yeah. I…I guess I did."

“Do you want to grow another one?” Shiori asked, excitedly.

"I can try." Maki was as happy as a dog at a dinosaur dig. "Wanna grow something in the garden instead?"

\--------------------

Since her first lesson, Maki helped Shiori tend to the gardens.

Shiori's hands dig through the earth, mud gathering underneath her fingernails. She knew that she should put on gloves, but she hated it. Because Shiori loved the feel of gardening. It was so soothing.

Meanwhile, Maki sinks her hands (gloved) into soft mulch. It shifts beneath her fingers, each clump of clay—or maybe it shifted because she'd unearthed a worm.

Maki grimaced. "Ew. I think I just found a worm in the mulch."

"Yes, but what a magnificent worm it must be! It's as alive as the rest of everything." Shiori digs a hole into the little line of seedlings in front of her, patting another sprout snug into the ground to take root.

Shiori couldn't help but start singing. "Inch by inch, row by row, we're gonna make this garden grow!" 

"Oh my god, you sing about gardening too?"

Shiori shrugged. "It's the best way to pass the time! Don't tell me you've never done it before."

"Not to garden."

"That's no fun, and you've never gardened." Shiori danced, and sang. "All it takes is a rake, and a hoe—and a piece of fertile ground."

'…she can't possibly be this adorable!'

Maki looked away, her cheeks reddening as she smiled somewhere else. "God, you're insufferable."

Shiori smiled. "Inch by inch, row by row, someone bless these seeds I sow! Someone warm them from below, until the rain comes tumbling down."

Shiori sprinkled water over Maki's head, who shooed her, laughing. "Shoo, shoo, stop that!"

Shiori looked down the row. She nodded in satisfaction at her work, her palms staining the knees of her pants.

The garden was overgrown for harvest. Shiori couldn't help but beam at the flowers and leafy patches, having grown from nothing more than a few foot square plot of earth to the sprawling success it is now, and still crawling towards the sun’s beckoning.

Shiori hummed to herself, singing and speaking to Maki. "You know, I think my favorite are the sunflowers."

Maki nodded. "True, you spent the most time tending to them. I think I liked working with the vegetable patches. It's more food for us."

“Yes, but it’s always been much more than just making food." Shiori told her. “There’s something satisfying about the digging and the watering; knowing that they’re thriving from your nurturing and hard work."

Maki smiled despite the ache of her hands, stinging with splinters from thorns and wooden pikes for the beanstalks. The gloves didn't seem to help, either. "That's understandable."

At the back of her mind, Maki wondered if Shiori missed having someone to talk to, if she'd been lonesome.

'I would have gone bonkers by now if I were her.'

Maki continued to listen as Shiori listed the various species and sub-species of the gardens, and explained how one might tell them apart.

Maki hadn't noticed Shiori wasn't there until there was a rustle in the bushes, silent against the wind that whistled.

When Maki turned to find the culprit, Shiori's voice stopped her.

“No—don’t turn around yet, Harukawa!” Shiori exclaimed excitedly. “Your surprise visitor has a present for you!”

“A present, you say?” Maki asked, smiling as she kept her eyes down, watching an ant on the surface of the soil. “I wonder what generous person would want to give me something so special out of the blue.”

“You’ll see." Shiori giggled.

Shiori's footfalls flattened the fertilized ground, closer and closer to Maki. When two small, soft hands covered Maki's eyes, someone giggled in her ears.

“As amusing as it is, I think you’ve overused your tricky game of ‘guess who,’ Shiori.” Maki said. “In fact, I’d be quite indignant if you really thought I'd ever guess differently.”

“I would never!” Shiori said, drawing out the last word as a groan. “Why, my silly games can’t stand a chance against your outstanding thinking!”

“And neither will flattery.”

“Still!” Shiori said. “I don’t think you’ll be able to guess what this is.”

The hands over Maki's eyes slip slightly, and slits of light flood into her eyes.

Only one hand covered her eyes now, the other sliding over her face and coming to rest on her mouth. When something round and smooth pressed the front of her teeth, Shiori's fingertips pressured Maki to open her mouth.

“Oh come on, you don’t trust me?” Shiori teased. “I’m not going to poison you!”

Maki gave in, opening her mouth. The small thing Shiori was holding dropped into her mouth, and rolled across her teeth.

It was a cherry tomato.

Maki coughed a little, unprepared for the sudden sour spurt. She cupped a hand over her mouth as she turned to Shiori; who was as shining as ever.

Shiori stared at Maki expectantly. She squealed with delight and jumped to grab Maki's shoulders, who responded with a thrilled smile.

"It's…good!" She said.

“See!" Shiori exclaimed.

"Like, really, really good!"

The girls rested their foreheads together, noses bumping in their giddiness.

“The cherry tomatoes are good, aren’t they?”

“They really are! I guess that means I did well tending to the vegetable patches, huh?”

"Harukawa, you grew something good! Like, really, really good! I now officially dub thee, a gardener."

Maki moved her hand from Shiori's, thumb cleaning a smudge of tomato juice off of the girl's chin.

“I know, I know. But, uh, Umesaki…how many tomatoes have you eaten?”

Shiori blanks. “They're, uh, really good tomatoes…! And, uh, maybe just a few…?”

"How many, exactly?"

Shiori squirmed. "I was hungry!"

Maki threw her hands in the air. "Umesaki—we just ate lunch! Those were meant for the Madame!"

It's sudden, but Maki lets Shiori hug her, their faces so close that their eyelashes fanned against each other. "Well, I didn't eat them all, you know."

Maki relaxed. “And aren't you being a mushy thing today? Are you bribing me?"

“I am not! I just can’t help but be pleased with the result.” Shiori said.

“Okay, okay, I forgive you. And, do tell, what other gifts have the gardens for us?”

“Oh, right!” Shiori states matter-of-factly.

“The vegetable haul of the day, courtesy of our fantabulous gardening superior.” Shiori crawled on her knees for the basket. Shiori kicked up chunks of dirt, and lifted it high over her head.

Great, green leaves and stalks stuck out of the basket—connected to carrots, potatoes, and other goods buried underneath packets of seed.

“Tada!” Shiori said, clapping her hands and flashing her teeth in a show woman’s smile. 

“Incredible!” Maki clapped.

“l think it's only fair that we give these vegetables to the Madame. She's given us tips and tools for the gardens, she really outdid herself this time!”

“Well, we better tend to the flowers.” Maki said, picking up a watering can. “Show that good ol’ Madame our hard work.“

The sun was beginning to set over the horizon, bringing the near end of a day’s work.

Maki was conditioned to the sight of sunset. It triggered her anticipation of nights of blankets, pillows, and a full, restful night. It's a comfort to expect what comes next, to know a routine that still fits each new day like a glove.

“You better get ready, Harukawa—”

Shiori called. Cracking her joints, she hoists herself up, basking against the setting sun—and she runs.

“—because here I come!”

Maki laughed, shrieking—her laughter ringing in the air when Shiori's arms envelope her from behind.

"You horrible, horrible child! How many hugs is enough for you?!" Maki exclaimed.

"You know you love me!" Shiori cried, pulling Maki down with her—soil and grass staining into their clothes as they tumbled in the weeds of the garden.

"I do not!"

"You do too!"

Shiori loved the sight of the flowers, the rainbow of them. But to Shiori, there was nothing more she loved in that garden than Maki.

"Is 'maybe' be a good response for you?"

"It's good enough."

At the height of summer, the girls liked to come to the gardens undisturbed. There were tomatoes and cucumbers to harvest, and cabbage seedlings and new potatoes to tend. There were flowers—sunflowers, poppies, roses, etc. to water. 

The girls were happy here, working out new ways to stake tomatoes and tie up vines. More often than not, an afternoon would pass, and it was time to make their way back down the hill for their meals.

Shiori loved gardening. Especially with Maki, even if Maki was a beginner.

But Shiori was a beginner too. She was learning how to whistle to respond to the birdcalls in the trees. She was learning how to play hopscotch. She was learning how to tie her shoelaces. She was learning anything and everything the orphanage had to offer.

It'd take time, but she'll learn all of it. Because right here, right now, she had time to spare. And she could enjoy herself wholeheartedly.

"Harukawa! I found a ladybug underneath the leaves, isn't that beautiful?"

\--------------------

While in the gardens, someone called for Maki and Shiori.

It was a boy, and he was beckoning them to come back inside.

Maki felt a tug at her sleeve. "Harukawa, what's happening? It's free time isn't it?"

"Ah, right—the letters…" It clicked in her head. "It's been a few months since we've received one of those…"

Maki motioned for Shiori to get up. "You'll see, soon enough."

'What…am I feeling…?' Maki thought. 'Is this nervousness…regret…or hope?'

Whatever it was, Maki knew that the orphanage was feeling it too. Because they'd finally received a letter from Kanazawa.

\--------------------

Inside the orphanage, they trailed mud everywhere they went.

"Dammit…I guess we'll have to clean this up later…"

Shiori pouted. And Maki saw her hour of reading replaced with an hour of cleaning.

'But, now is not the time for that' Maki thought. 'Because right now, there is something much more important to attend to.'

Everyone was in the main room.

"Hey, Umesaki? So, uh, you know how…many of our older, and sometimes younger, kids have been taken by the men in suits…and we never see them again?"

Shiori nods apprehensively.

"Well, while it's true that we never see them again…that doesn't necessarily mean we don't hear from them." 

Whoever, or whatever, was taking the kids, never told the rest of them where they ended up.

"However, we are allowed to send letters back and forth. They don't say anything significant, though we ask them all the time."

'Where are you?'  
'What do they do to you?'  
'Are you okay?'

Sometimes, they didn't reply. And if they did:

'I'm okay.'  
'I'm alive.'  
'I'm strong.'

"Actually, we don't know what's happened to them."

"Yet, you send the letters with hope—despite it being another attempt to milk information." Shiori said.

Maki nodded solemnly. "Exactly."

Everyone wants to catch a glimpse of Kanazawa's handwriting. Children come into the room, and will have to listen in instead.

It was all the same.

'Hello, how are you, children? I'm doing fine,  
——though I can never tell with these fucking headaches——I've made many friends, although they won't last long if they're around my beauty and womanly charms.'

Maki sees some kids smile, and feels herself smiling too. "Kanazawa was always a bit too full of herself…"

"You mean, the procrastinator?" Shiori asks.

"Well, yes—but Kanazawa was passionate, spiteful, sassy—" Maki stops. "—and taken away when she was fourteen years old…"

It was a couple of months ago, and yet Kanazawa lasted longer in the orphanage from birth than anyone else did.

Shiori squeezes Maki's hand—condolences in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Harukawa. She must have been wonderful."

"I don't know about wonderful." Maki chuckled. "But…her patience with children did outrival my own."

Maki leaned her head on Shiori's. "I guess there was something special about her."

'Madame, how is everyone? Did Nagisa stop clinging to that old blanket? Oh, and did Yuki confess her love to you-know-who yet? Honestly, the wait is driving me insane!'  
——Or, maybe it's the intense training. I really, really miss Coach Suzuki, she'd never do this!——

'And no I'm not going to spoil your secrets for you! And I'm not letting you have Harukawa do it for you either. Don't drive that twin-tailed hyena insane like I did, alright? That's my job! And I bet it's not the same for her without me.' ——Honestly, I'm glad I get to endure this instead of one of you——

'I miss you, I really do'——But, I know I'll probably never see you again. I prayed, but no one was there to hear——'I love you so, so much. And please, don't ever forget me. I am happy here! For the most part'——How sad—I even lie in my writing!——'and I hope that you're looking out for each other.'

'With endless love,'  
'Your Kanazawa.'

At once, people were crying and laughing. Children blushed and whispered with a smile. 

Everyone was close to Kanazawa. They'd share secrets with her, her mind was a library of books and papers about the orphanage.

"You…you really were friends, you and Kanazawa." Shiori said.

The kids stuck with Maki more than they did with Kanazawa—but it didn't stop them from missing her any less than Maki did.

"…I…I guess we were."

The Ichihara siblings laughed with other kids outside the room. And when they made eye contact with Maki, they smiled sympathetically.

"Hey, Umesaki…?"

"Hm?"

"Maybe…maybe we should talk to the other kids more."

Shiori gasped. "But you said—!"

"I know what I said!" Maki sighed. "I just—! I know I'd miss them—if they were gone too."

Maki was grateful for the letters Kanazawa sent them. Maki would say she wasn't too close to her, but in reality, Kanazawa never left her side. And she was so, so grateful for that.

Compared to the responses that they'd received from the other children, Kanazawa acted like nothing had changed.

'As if she still has a little light in her heart, just like we used to know her.'

Not many moments later, everyone was scrambling to write a response. They gathered notebook paper, markers, colored pencils and crayons—and Maki was on her way out. Not wanting to clean the aftermath, and, of course, the accursed mud.

Everyone feels a bit lighter as they leave. Sure, they were, again, left without answers. 

'But do we really need them?'

It was selfish, of course. 'But, what can we do about that? We can't bring them back, but they're safe, and so are we.'

'Why can't we stay in our bubble forever?'

Maki made many excuses to make herself forget the truth of the situation at hand.

When Shiori takes ahold of Maki's arm, she brings Maki down to the earth with her. 

"So, what did you think about it Umesaki?"

It was a new face Maki was not familiar with. "Honestly…I…I don't know."

Maki stops. "What? What do you mean 'you don't know'?”

"Harukawa, did you really believe everything that Kanazawa-san said?" Shiori continued. "Consider the circumstances—Kanazawa-san was taken to an unknown organization, with unknown men who take more and more of us each year. What do you think that means?"

No.

Stop it.

'I don't want to hear this.'

"I—I um…"

At that moment, Shiori's lavender eyes shrinked, like a deer in headlights.

'That's…that's how her eyes looked the day I met her. She was scared that day, so, so scared.' Maki thought.

And it scared Maki to see Shiori hide secrets, especially around her.

"I…I can read some of what Kanazawa-san scratched out. I didn't understand all of it, but, Harukawa, she's not okay!" Shiori's voice grew louder. "Something has happened to her and she can't let us know. 'Somebody' won't let her!"

"Oh my god, Umesaki, will you please SHUT UP!" Maki screamed.

Her comment was so out of character, so far from what Shiori knew of her, she just stared at her open mouthed.

Shiori formulated nothing other than she was shocked. But it hurt. It really, really hurt.

"I—I'm sorry, Harukawa-san. If—If you say Kanazawa-san's okay, then it's okay. We're going to be okay. I…I believe in you, Harukawa-san."

'H-Harukawa-san?'

The regret of what she'd said washed over Maki like waves on a beach. The waves were cold and sent shivers down her spine.

How she longed to take a different path, but there was no way back. Maki envied the pebbles underfoot, hard and lifeless.

"Oh, Umesaki. I'm sorry, I never should've—"

"It's okay."

"But it's not! I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Shiori sighed. "Yeah, you really shouldn't have, but I get why you did it."

Shiori let go of Maki's hand.

"Umesaki…?"

"I'm not mad. But I'm not happy right now either." Shiori smiled sadly. Her hands were clenched into shaking fists, and a tear traced down her cheek.

"Is that okay?" She whispered.

"Of course it is." Maki said, quietly.

They spent the rest of their walk in complete silence. At the top of the hill, Shiori left. "I think I'll go to sleep early today."

Maki hugged Shiori with shaking arms.

Shiori relaxed. "I thought you said you didn't like my hugs."

"What? I love them, you're the only person I know that gives indefinite hugs."

Shiori snickered. "Well, Harukawa, where else would I rather be?"

At that moment, Shiori breathed more slowly as every muscle lost its tension.

"Still friends?" Maki asked.

"Still friends." Shiori assured.

"I am going to sleep though." Shiori let go. "Wake me up if you need help with anything."

"Will do." But she knew she wouldn't.

After watching Shiori down the hill, Maki pulled up her gloves and worked with the roses. 

Alone, and without Shiori's singing, Maki had to admit to herself that she could read some of what Kanazawa had crossed out too.

"Shit." She'd pricked herself on a thorn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title is courtesy of "Everything Stays" from Adventure Time. And Shiori sings "The Garden Song" by John Denver.


	3. Chocolate and Culinary Adventures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maki and Shiori taste some shit cupcakes at a bakery, and attempt to make their own better ones. Shiori tries to find Maki's weakness in sweets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not very happy with this chapter, but it's better now than never. Didn't know what to title this either but uhh yeah—

“This is ridiculous!” Shiori exclaimed. “How is this place so popular? It’s not even that good!” 

“Because there are too many married women in this world with too much free time on their hands. And what do they do with that time? They watch the shows that promote these…uh…” Maki said, like it WASN'T a chocolate cupcake in her hand, but an animal of indeterminate breed that would bite her if irritated. "…cupcakes…" she finally said.

After a few nibbles that resulted with neutrality at the taste, (it was some sort of bland brand of chocolate) she held the cake out to Shiori—who was sitting in the other chair with a look of horror at the shitty "strawberry" cupcake she'd just taken a bite out of.

"This sucks. This absolutely, positively, sucks ass." Shiori said, spitting it into a napkin. 

“You know, you sound funny when you say stuff like 'absolutely' and 'positively' in the same sentence as 'sucks ass'." Maki said. "Here. Mine’s not too bad in case you want it.”

"Well, what? It's true! It tastes like ass! How ELSE would I say it? Here, lemme see that." Shiori took a bite out of the chocolate, thinking on it. But, when she'd taken that bite, a little bit of chocolate had dirtied her face—

—and as Maki stared at it, she couldn’t tell if she was more tempted to wipe it off, or shove Shiori’s face into the chocolate like the brat had done to her before.

Unaware of her friend’s inner dilemma, Shiori continued to talk. “It’s…okay…but still not worth an hour in line and a show.” she said.

"Mhm." Maki hummed, distant and itching to do SOMETHING about that chocolate on Shiori's cheek.

'Well, I AM older.' Maki thought. 'Should I be a good role model? Just this once?'

Oh, the questions of life.

That weekend, the two of them were in town with other children and nannies because Madame Fuuka had to meet with some associates there. And while she usually went by herself, Madame Fuuka didn’t have much of a choice but to call in her other nannies when the children attacked with puppy eyes and pouts, begging to go.

Meanwhile, the nannies (and Maki) introduced Shiori to the parts of town that she hadn’t seen yet in her few months of living with them. 

"I’ll be back in a few hours. I’ll send you a text when I’m done, and we can meet up. Don't spoil them too much!" was what Madame Fuuka had said to them last. Still, there they were, at the end of the day, standing in line for an hour to eat (overpriced) cupcakes.

Were they spoiled? Yes. But were they as spoiled as the cupcakes tasted? No. Now, God forbid that someone say they knew what a CHILD tasted like—

—but Maki was certain that it wasn’t like cupcakes.

"My first day in town, and this is where we eat?" Shiori complained.

"Hey, we don’t do this often you know.” Maki said. "Yeah, this place is bad. But we won't be coming back anytime soon."

Suddenly, Shiori's eyes lit up. “Actually…I think…I think we can do better than this place. Yeah…yeah yeah! Cook's made cupcakes, we should try to make some ourselves!” 

"…I guess it's not a bad idea, but—” Maki stretched in her seat. "We've had a long day. Can't it wait until…tomorrow? Or Saturday?"

On their little trip, Shiori had led Maki to a flower booth. And while they smelled and admired the blooms, they hadn't seen where the nannies and children they'd been with went.

It was fun to walk with Shiori. I just wasn't fun to have been lost for an hour, with a crick in your neck and a pebble in your sock you just couldn't find. Yeah, they'd found everyone in the end. But all that Maki wanted now was to go home, not bake.

Shiori munched on the chocolate cupcake. "Hmm…I suppose it can…" then, she stared at the cupcake in shock, holding it far from her body. "Wait a minute, Harukawa doesn't like sweets! You didn't even finish your cupcake when you said it wasn't that bad!"

Maki let out a laugh. "No. No, Harukawa doesn't like sweets—" Maki took the cherry from the cupcake and popped it into her mouth. It was sweet—too sweet.

'Ew. These were DEFINITELY canned cherries.' she thought, but continued to chew.

"—but Harukawa can make an exception for Umesaki."

Shiori whooped. "Yes! Yes yes yes yes! I know we can make something you'll love, Harukawa. I promise!"

Maki doubted it. Still, she smiled, and picked up the trash of wrappers and napkins. Before she threw them away, she crouched next to Shiori.

Shiori’s cheers lessened as she looked at her curiously, with a little tilt of her head. Maki took an unsoiled napkin, and wiped the icing off of Shiori’s cheeks as she held her chin down. 

When it was done, she left the little wide-eyed girl at the table to throw away the trash. "I can't wait to see you try, Umesaki. Because you've just put a lot on your plate if you think you can get me to like sweets as much as I like you."

Shiori blinked more times than Maki could count, but she quickly settled into her usual too sweet, and what Maki was sure was a sarcastic—tone. “Aw geez Harukawa, and here I was thinking you were about to propose to me!”

Maki looked over, her face cast as serious as she could, and yet she failed. There, at the corner of her mouth, was a little tilt of amusement. And if it were anybody but Shiori, they wouldn’t have seen it. “Really? You think I’d sink that low?”

“Don’t you know? It's the most romantic trope! You are now entitled to a marriage with me, otherwise you will be beheaded!” 

“Huh. I always thought that I’d be burned at the stake." Maki grumbled. Shiori giggled.

At that moment, the little bell at the top of the front door tolled, and Madame Fuuka stepped inside.

There were worried wrinkles around her brown eyes, and her frown was set. But, she smiled when the children ran up and pulled at her skirts for her attention. There were a few looks from the other customers, but eventually they went back to their own business. A few parents awed at the children and their nanny, and then returned to their own kids. 

"Aw, look at all of you! My little bundles of heartache and headache." seeing the frosting around their mouths, Madame Fuuka sighed. "I thought I told you not to be spoiled! What's this? Cupcakes? Cook can make them better."

"Good evening Madame Fuuka. I'm happy you're back from your meeting." Maki said, holding back the kids from toppling the nanny over. "And I'm sorry, but spoiled is all we can be."

When Madame Fuuka saw Maki, she smiled. "Harukawa. I heard you and Umesaki-chan were lost in town. It's good to see you're safe. How were the little ones?"

"They were fine. SOME were too curious for their own good and got us lost." Behind Maki, Shiori chuckled.

"I see…"

Fuuka shooed the kids away, telling them to sit until they're ready. Then, she took Maki and Shiori aside, and spoke so low that only they could hear.

"Umesaki-chan, I read something once; the curious are always in some danger. If you are curious, you might never come home, just like all the men who now live with the mermaids at the bottom of the sea. Do you understand?"

Shiori groaned. "Yes." she stretched out the "e" in her yes, and looked away from Madame Fuuka. "It's not Harukawa's fault, you know. She told me it was a bad idea, but I didn't listen. I was just excited, and she was there to take care that I don't die or, you know." she mumbled.

"I know. But you have to understand that you're young, and anything can happen out there when you're by yourself and lost. Promise?"

"...I promise."

Madame Fuuka let out a breath. "It's wonderful that you two take care of the other. It's one of the most important things you could do for a friend. But you NEED to understand that your friends aren't always in the right. You're still taking care of them when you stop them from making a bad decision, as you would be by looking out for them. Alright?"

Although she was looking at Shiori, the words were more meant for Maki. And although Shiori said "Yes, ma'am." Madame Fuuka didn't leave until Maki nodded at her a few feet away from Shiori.

And with that, Maki held Shiori's shoulders and pushed her forward. "Oh, by the way; Umesaki has something to tell you, Madame. Don't you, Umesaki?"

Shiori glared at Maki, but Madame Fuuka only looked worryingly at the youngest. "Umesaki-chan? What is it, dear?"

"Uh, could Harukawa and I use the kitchen to bake sweets? You see, Harukawa here challenged me to make a sweet that she'd like."

Maki scoffed. "I did not challenge her—"

Madame Fuuka chuckled. "I'd love to let you, but you'll have to talk to Cook for that. The kitchen is his domain, not mine. I just pay him, that's all."

Shiori’s smile fell. In all the hype, she’d led herself to believe that they lived in a world where responsibility wasn’t a rule. "Aw, okay."

When Madame Fuuka turned away, Maki smirked at Shiori.

Maki didn’t show much mischief. But now, Shiori felt annoyed to see that self assured, satisfied smirk on the (usually) stoic Maki. If that wasn’t enough, the bastard was bouncing on the balls of her feet with her hand behind her back, like a child who’d gotten their sibling in trouble with mom.

“Don’t. Don’t say it.” Shiori said, a threat in her tone. 

"Told you." Maki said with a sing-song voice, stretching the “you” at the end.

“You didn’t prove anything!” Shiori elbowed Maki in the ribs. In return, Maki shoved Shiori away. And when one hit, smacked, or slapped their friend, the other returned it with less and less playfulness. They might’ve been the best of friends, but the two were prideful.

But before the bickering became a full blown (play) fight of a child’s pride, Madame Fuuka called out to them.

"Come on everyone—!" Madame Fuuka said to the nannies and her children, but pointedly looking at Maki and Shiori for them to stop…whatever that was. "—let's head home."

Still shoving and swaying from side to side, Maki and Shiori walked out with them.

And with that, the sun set in the sky, as bold as one of Cook’s fruit jellies. It sat within that sky, that summer-fruit hued canvas, with warm tones over the town.

“I’m in the mood for mandarins. Or oranges, or tangerines, or—I don’t know. You know?” Maki said, forgetting the horseplay they’d had and holding Shiori’s hand out of instinct.

“Huh?”

“Uh, nothing.”

“Whatever, weirdo.” Shiori said affectionately. “We can eat some at home, if you want? I still have some studies to do about what sweets you like. I know you like fruits, but I'm not counting them."

"If you can think of one, then please, feel free to enlighten me." Maki said sarcastically.

"I WILL find something!" Shiori ensured. "You've lived for ten years with a birthday cake and candy, you must have a weakness for SOMETHING! I’m just ashamed that I don’t know it yet.”

Maki chuckled. “We’ll see.”

\---------------------------------------------

Maki dreamt of sweets. Like a showcase at a buffet, she saw mochis, ice cream, candy—as far as the eye could see! These were the little delicacies that Maki had gotten to eat. They were the little delicacies that—frankly—she didn’t find as tasty as the other kids did.

Still, she was fond of the memories that came with those treats; like birthdays. Whenever the birthday kid blew out their candles, EVERYONE wanted the biggest and the best slice of cake, if only to brag to the others.

Then, there were the dinners dedicated to the newest kid of the family. Madame Fuuka would take out the porcelain plates, the posh ones with flowers on the sides, and serve dinner on them. Usually, the plates didn't make it to the end of the night without a chip or two in its smooth surface.

But that didn’t matter to them. What mattered was that everyone was there. And that everyone was happy.

In a dream, so wonderfully delicate and lovely that it was a bit blurry to the senses, Maki had just cut a cake (she didn’t remember who’s birthday it was, or how the knife had gotten into her hands, for that matter.) when she saw a shadow looming in the glass of the door that led outside.

Maki choked, stunned, and the knife dropped to the table.

When she looked from side to side, to the faces of the children and the nannies to check if they’d seen it too, Maki stopped short. EVERYONE that had been cheering and chanting for her to cut the cake were now stiff, like still shots from a camera. 

And when she looked closer at them, Maki noticed how she couldn’t quite identify who was who…like their faces were cut out.

Horrified, she quickly looked back at the shadow.

It wasn't just a shadow…but a girl…a girl with brown hair that fell to her knees and fell over her eyes—her hollow, red eyes that were rimmed with dark circles. It was so pitiful, that Maki had to look away.

The dining room went silent. And when Maki turned, no one was there. "What—"

All too aware, Maki stepped as far as she could from the door, becoming more and more frightened of the blackness that tore down the walls of the dining room. But that girl didn't move, no. Instead, she kept looking at Maki with the same expression. And as Maki backed into an invisible wall, the walls and furniture of the dining room disappeared, until all that was left was a door as the division between Maki and the demon behind it. They stared at each other, red eyes meeting.

How long had it been? Had time passed at all? Maki had no clue—but she was beginning to feel frustrated. In such frustration, she made a dangerous move to look at the rest of the girl—

Maki’s eyes trailed down and down her body, from head to toe. But when she saw her torso, something unsettling let itself in.

There were dark, dark red blood splatters on her shirt and shorts, the red contrasting on the white attire. Despite the fear that tugged at her, Maki didn't stop there. Instead, she looked lower to see what was in her hand.

As Maki feared, the girl held a bloodied knife. The red dripped from the knife, just the color of her eyes.

Her eyes.

'My eyes.'

Because when Maki saw her, it was like looking into a mirror.

Maki saw herself.

The girl grinned. Maki felt herself shake as the girl opened the door and stepped through it. Her muddy footprints, mixed with blood, dirtied the floor. As she walked, Maki saw crushed flowers (were those…marigolds?) in her wake.

And just when the girl was a hair's breadth away from Maki, the sound of clashing cymbals resounded in the blackness.

Maki covered her ears at the noise, losing sight of the bloodied girl as she saw a…a…

\---------------------------------------------

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"We're not there yet, Maki."

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\---------------------------------------------

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It was early—too early. The first ray of sunshine filtered into the room, beaming at Maki's face. As Maki rolled over, throwing the blanket over her head to block the light, a loud CRASH suddenly resounded in the air.

It immediately woke her.

"Umesaki?!" she said in stammers as she awoke. Her hair was stuck to her forehead, and there was sweat and heat on her back and neck. Maki was breathless, and saw no sign of Shiori in the blankets of the other bed next to her.

At that, she shot out of bed, falling flat on her face from the blankets twisted around her ankles.

"UGH stupid—" Maki shook them off, and ran out of the room to find the source of the sound. Her brain screamed at her to run back and do all the checks once more. Still, Maki’s feet moved forward at an almost-run. Shiori, for as athletic as she was, was a clumsy clumsy girl off the track—and could easily be in all sorts of trouble.

“Umesaki is fine. Umesaki is fine.” Maki repeated to herself.

'Maybe this is an exaggeration…' she thought.

Maki knew that she could be over-protective of the children, especially Shiori, at the worst of times. And after THAT type of dream, (nightmare?) her senses were especially scrambled.

Another crash came, this time with a shriek. And, Maki noted, it had come from the kitchen. 

'That cannot be Cook.' she thought, hearing a high-pitched voice the closer she got to the kitchen. 'Nope. Definitely not.'

“Umesaki? Was that you?” Maki called out, stumbling through the halls in socks. Maki's mind was hazy as she walked into the doors next to the dining room that led into the kitchen.

"Whoever's awake this early has a death wish." she grumbled, rubbing a sore spot on her forehead.

As she slid the doors and stepped inside, Maki was met with a horrific view: the kitchen.

There were a ton of pans and pots around on the floor, coupled with boxes and cutlery. And at the center of it all stood Shiori, dressed for the day, with her arms around a small sack of flour and looking for all the world like a kid with her hand in the cookie jar.

“Whoops.” she said. Shiori tried to walk forward, but winced when her foot hit a pan. The collision sounded akin to cymbals as it was sent on a roll towards Maki. “Uh, sorry?”

When the sound stopped, Maki picked up the pan and walked to put it away. “What the hell Umesaki? It’s—“ she looked at the clock on the wall, “It’s five in the morning! What are you DOING? Actually—” she shook her head. “Nevermind that. How did you make this mess?”

Shiori shrugged. “I was preparing stuff for our baking…you know, what we were supposed to do YESTERDAY?" she stared pointedly at Maki "But SOMEONE didn't want to.”

Maki crossed her arms and stared back defiantly. “I was busy.”

“You were reading.”

“So? We had to clean too, remember? That doesn't count.”

“Yes it does.”

“No it doesn’t.”

“Yes it does!”

“No it doesn’t!”

Maki groaned. “You know what, screw it!” she threw her hands into the air. “Let’s just clean this up before anything else happens.” Maki ran a hand through her hair and picked up the pots and pans.

Shiori cheered. “Whoo! Shiori 1, Harukawa 0!”

Maki rolled her eyes. “Real mature.”

Truthfully, she knew that Shiori meant no harm. But GOD did she feel drowsy. All of her limbs felt heavy, from her arms to her feet. And as she cleaned up, she let her head loll from one side to the other, nearly swaying into walls as she walked. 

‘I always thought of "drowsy" as a soft word, like "blanket" and "pillow." and…wait…I just wanna go back to bed.’ Maki thought. ‘But this is AWFUL. Why didn’t I feel like this a minute ago?’ she assumed that the nightmare, and the fear of Shiori’s safety, must’ve mixed into some monstrous mess of adrenaline and anxiety.

She didn't even notice when someone stood in the way of the cabinets.

“…uh, are you okay Harukawa? You look…worried? I didn't wake you up that badly, did I?"

Shiori laid her hand lightly on Maki’s arm. “I can tell Madame you’re not feeling well, if you’d like? I know nightmares can be…” she made a booming noise with her mouth. “…you know?”

“Thanks. But really. It's not a big deal. I just woke up suddenly, that’s all.” The lie slipped out, smooth and easy like melted butter. Maki was almost too calm when she’d said it, so much so she nearly convinced herself too. 

Besides, Shiori didn’t need a grim reminder of what she’d lost. Maki’s nightmare may have been…disturbing. But Shiori STILL had nightmares about the flood, a very real event. Maki would simply sound ungrateful for the childhood she was lucky to have had if she complained.

Or, maybe, she knew that Shiori wouldn’t think that. Shiori would, probably, comfort and care for her. But Maki needed to convince herself of something.

Shiori seemed unsure, but let her hand slide down Maki’s arm. “If you say so. I don’t want you walking around with only five hours of sleep.”

“I DO say so. And I feel PERFECTLY fine.” Maki said, frazzled. “Still, we have to pick this up before breakfast. You know that, right?”

“Yeah…” Shiori said, tapping her chin in thought. Maki didn’t see it.

Maki clapped her hands. “Well. Let’s get to it. I can’t believe this is all…” Maki huffed in irritation, when a tap on her back captured her attention. “Umesaki, stop messing—!“

Poof!

A handful of flour went flying into Maki's face.

Startled, Maki stuttered, trying to get the taste of flour out of her mouth. “What—Umesaki!” she couldn’t see much, but she could hear Shiori howling with laughter in front of her.

“OH MY GOD!” Shiori managed to say through wheezes. “You should see your face!” 

Shiori continued to laugh, but the sudden sight of Maki's murderous eyes prompted her to run out of the room. As she left, her laughter trailed with her. And maybe today, they’d hear rumors from other kids about the “spirit” they’d SWORN they saw laughing in the hallways, covered with white.

But Maki and Shiori would know otherwise; that it was someone who’d mistakenly thrown flour at their just-as competitive friend, and was running with that friend throwing flour back at them.

Maki straightened her back, and wiped her face on her sleeve. A dangerous smile stretched over her face, wide and showing her teeth. In that moment her motives were laid out in bolded text;

GET BACK AT SHIORI UMESAKI.

With her motives in mind, Maki cracked her knuckles. She grabbed a handful of flour, and put the sack of it underneath her free arm. 

"It’s on.”

\---------------------------------------------

“That was fun!” Shiori said.

The two were in the bathroom. They were COVERED in flour. But even with the itch Shiori felt in her hair, and the puff of powder from Maki's nose when she sneezed, the rush of their little battle had them over the moon with excitement.

"Yeah. It was." Maki said.

“…do you feel better now?" Shiori asked slowly, nervous and yet pleased—like she’d won the lottery while she waited for an answer.

Maki nodded reluctantly. “Yeah…but let’s not do this again. Madame Fuuka will murder us if she sees us like this…you’re lucky most of the flour didn’t show up on the floorboards." then, "…actually, why were you in the kitchen at this hour? Isn't Cook up?"

Maki turned the tap and let the water wash away the flour, (well—as much as it could wash—the flour soon turned to mush on her hands) then dried with a hand towel as Shiori did the same.

"He is awake!" she said. "But, because I talked to him yesterday, he let me prep while he made breakfast!"

"Oh. Well how nice."

"Mhm! Cook's been really nice lately. Although, after what happened today…" she winced. "…I don't know how nice he'll be."

"I meant how nice of him to have trusted that you wouldn't ruin his kitchen." Maki grinned.

"I swear, you use that mouth for spouting nonsense and tomfoolery. I'll have you know, I didn't fuck up NEARLY as bad as I thought I would!" Shiori said proudly.

'Nonsense? Tomfoolery? Fuck?' Maki chuckled. "Princess, you're doing the thing again."

Shiori giggled. "And what if I'm doing it on purpose?"

That sent Maki into a laughing fit.

While they chatted, Shiori tried to wash away the mush in the sink. However, the two soon realized that a towel and some water wasn’t gonna cut it. 

“…Harukawa? I’m gonna take a shower in here, I think. How about we do the plan when we're done with breakfast?” Shiori asked.

“Sure." Maki said. "Besides, I still need to take a shower too. Don’t worry! I’ll take the other bathroom, no one's awake yet." she smoothed out her hair, and the flour in it fell to the floor. "We have so much to clean…Breakfast first, then? Maybe then you won’t snack on the batter.” she poked her playfully.

“Hey!” Shiori said, offended.

“What? It’s true.”

"Whatever, dummy. I'll be back!" she shouted.

"Cool. I'll finish up here and leave." Maki said. "…and Umesaki? Remember: If you feel like you're…overwhelmed, or the scars are…too much…try to turn off the water and leave the bathtub. Remember to breathe, okay?"

Shiori smiled. It'd been three months since she'd arrived, and her meltdowns in the bathroom had lessened. She never took baths now, only showers. It was an improvement, but Maki worried that she'd drown if she wasn't there with her.

"Thank you. I'll remember that." Shiori was still at the door, as if there were more for her to say. "…and I’m sorry for worrying you. It wasn’t my intention, much less to wake you up like that!"

“I WAS worried, you know. But, now that I'm up, it's not too bad." Maki said. "But don't expect me to wake up tomorrow with much more than limp!"

Shiori’s head ducked away from the door, and Maki heard the girl’s giggles down the hallway.

"Silly." Maki scoffed affectionately.

\---------------------------------------------

At breakfast, there was talk of not one, not two, but THREE spirits.

“I heard one! It giggled like the girl from that one horror movie!” a boy said excitedly.

“I woke up and went to the bathroom, but then I saw two women with white skin walk just around the corner of my room! I didn’t have to wait for the bathroom in the end…" another said.

“Hey, what if we're haunted?” someone commented.

“No way man, we live here! I heard someone say that they saw a man with the two women. What if they’re demons?”

“That's in no way better!”

"Two women, two demons, with white faces in the halls, huh?" Hisao mumbled, amused as he remembered how he'd heard Maki complain about how hard it was to wash out flour from hair…

And if Hisao and Ena snickered at Maki and Shiori’s shock, if Madame Fuuka sent them an irritated look of “we’ll talk later.” or if Cook chuckled with his pants still powdery white from when they’d bumped into him, then no one would notice that their “demons” and "spirits" were no more than a hired cook and two friends who wished that there wasn’t any flour left to expose them.

"Very mysterious." Hisao continued, as Maki grew more and more red in front of him.

"Shut up, Ichihara."

The two "spirits" said in unison.

\---------------------------------------------

Once they'd had breakfast and gotten rid of all of the flour, Maki and Shiori found themselves in the kitchen.

There were bowls and utensils laid out in front of them with a note from Cook that read: “You ruin the kitchen, and you cook with me until the weekend. I have Madame's approval.”

While it wasn’t written as such, they knew what Cook meant: He didn't say anything when they bumped into him in the middle of their little battle earlier. But, if they wanted his word, then they’d better have his kitchen intact when they were done.

“Is this a good idea?" Maki said when she'd read the note. "I mean…our last 'passion project' went pretty well…but I’m not so sure our skills extend to cakes."

Shiori scoffed. “You worry too much, you know? Come on, the flowers' still alive! This is just like that. What could possibly—"

Maki put a hand on her mouth, and cut her off. “Don’t jinx it.”

Shiori nodded, and pulled the hand off. Shiori bounded off to put on an apron, with another in her hand for her partner. With a wide smile, she turned to Maki and dumped it into her arms. “Well, let's start!”

Shiori took a card out of her pocket. At the top of it in a fancy handwritten font, the title read “Cake: Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla” and underneath it was Cook’s recipe for them to follow.

“First! We sift flour, baking powder, and salt." Shiori blanked at the card, then looked at Maki. "How do I do that.”

“Uh, with a sifter?”

“What’s a sifter?”

“Oh, wildflower, it's a good thing I'm here. Because you'd be an absolute mess without me.” Maki walked over to the drawer to find the tool. “This is it. Here, hold it over the bowl, put the flour in, and shake it from side to side."

“Um, sure.”

Maki handed Shiori the sifter, and did as was said. Maki watched Shiori work from the counter she sat at, and wouldn't you know it, all went well! (And if there was now a wide whiteness on Shiori’s shirt and Maki’s arm from when she shook too hard, then who was Maki to ruin it for her?)

“Hey, good job!”

“Really?” Shiori said, excited. Maki's compliments had her stand proudly instead of slumping over the bowl like she'd been before.

“Yeah! I didn’t think you'd know EVERYTHING about baking. I don’t know it all either. Relax! We'll be fine if we follow the recipe to the letter." Maki reassured her. 

“Uh-huh. Like you don't know more about what's considered “common” than I do. I think at this point I shouldn’t leave my room without expecting to learn a lesson from you.” Shiori poked at Maki, the latter almost falling off from the counter.

Maki chuckled. “What? I don’t know EVERYTHING, I just said that! Who was the one who gardened for years and taught me how to do it? Who understands the weather forecasts when all I see are red and blue lines in a children’s coloring book? Who taught me how animals like to be petted and treated? Huh?”

Shiori just couldn't stop smiling at that, so she put the sifter aside and handed Maki the card. “Whatever. Let's agree to disagree.”

Maki put her hands up in a sign of surrender. “Fine, fine. Your call.”

Maki read off the next instruction. “Okay. Now, do you know how to crack an egg?”

Shiori scoffed and crossed the kitchen to get the eggs, the pride from her “successful” use of the sifter sinking into her tone. “Harukawa, of course I know how to crack an egg!” she held an egg over a small bowl, ready to hit it on the side. “I’ve seen tons of people do it. It can’t be that hard, can it?” 

“Umesaki I don’t think you—”

Shiori’s hand fell onto the side of the bowl, tapped, and completely obliterated the egg.

Half of the shell was inside, and the other half out. Not to mention that the yolk had slipped onto the outside of the bowl, then splatted onto the counter like slime.

“Oh. Maybe I don’t know how to crack an egg.” Shiori said blandly.

"Oh poor princess…" Maki slid off the counter. “Here, lemme show you. Is has to be a tap, just a tap! Then you stick your thumbs in the crack and pry it over the bowl.” when she successfully cracked it, and made sure that Shiori saw, she stepped back. “You wanna try the next one on your own?”

Shiori grabbed an egg. When there was a crack, she pried it just like Maki had shown her, and was thrilled to see that only a few flecks of shell had fallen into the bowl, while the egg was fully intact inside it.

“Hey, nice job! You got it!” Maki patted her on the back.

Shiori wiped down her hands on her apron. “Eh, I wouldn’t say that. There's still some shell in there. But it'll do."

Maki fished out the shells faster than Shiori could finish off with her hands.

When Shiori looked back, Maki stood there with a grin and her arms innocently behind her back. Seriously, Shiori wondered, what was up with this smug Maki? If she’d been like that in the beginning, then maybe their introductions wouldn’t have been so stiff. 

“Where? I don't see any.” Maki said. 

"If you keep doing things like that, they'll be more YOUR creations than ours.”

"Just helping a friend out." Maki said. "Now that you've done the first half of the steps, do you want me to do the rest?”

"For the fate of these cupcakes, I think that'd be best." Shiori admitted, and Maki finished the batter. In the end, they made three batches: strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla. Once, Shiori saw Maki take a sneaky taste of the chocolate batter—but she didn't mention it.

Shiori tried to help with whatever Maki was sure she wouldn't ruin. Which consisted of putting liners into the tray, getting spoons or bowels for Maki, and taste testing (which, she was proud to say, she could do flawlessly.)

"Hey, how come you don't know some of this stuff? Not that it's a bad thing, but I'm curious." Maki asked in the midst of filling the tray.

"Mom didn't know how to cook. Dad did, but he barely did it. We usually had cooks to make us meals, or we'd eat out." Shiori said. "I guess the answer is that nobody taught me."

"Huh. Well, I'm here to teach you now. Did you preheat the oven?”

“Don't be mad, but I didn’t know I had to do that…and I don’t know how to do that either.”

“It's fine, better now than never. You see these buttons?" Maki pointed at the oven. "You press this, bake, then type in the number on the card. We’ll have to wait a few minutes while it preheats.”

“What should we do while we wait?”

“Hm." Maki tapped her chin, then snapped and shot a finger gun at Shiori. "Frosting?”

\---------------------------------------------

An hour later, with the cupcakes in the oven and the frosting finished, the timer beeped.

"Yes! They're done!" Shiori shouted, having sat in front of the oven watching the cupcakes bake for most of the time.

Shiori ran to retrieve the tray from the oven while Maki filled the piping bags with frosting. Then, Shiori SCREAMED.

"UMESAKI WHAT THE—"

“HOT HOT HOT SHITTING HECK THAT’S HOT!”

Maki turned to see Shiori with the tray in her hands—no oven mitts—just her hands. As Maki was about to warn her, Shiori dumped the tray onto the table.

“Umesaki you absolute DUMBASS, what did you do?!” Maki said worried as she swiftly took Shiori's hands and scanned them for burns. When she was done, she led her to the sink. “You need to use oven mitts! I thought that’d be common sense?!"

“I—literally—have no idea." Shiori said as she washed her hands with the chilled water. "Although, I think by now we've been shown to be as stupid as the others, Harukawa."

"If not more." Maki mumbled. “What will become of this world?!”

"You know you're putting yourself with ME when you say that, right?" Shiori said, turning off the tap. “Because even I wouldn’t want to be bunched with me, you know?”

“Whatever. I’m marrying you anyways. I can live with stupidity if it means I won’t have to be beheaded.”

There was a moment of silence. Until Shiori giggled, slow at first, but then howled so loud and so much that she almost fell over.

"WOW. What’s happened to you? What happened to ‘I won’t sink that low’?” she held onto her stomach as she loosened into giggles, and looked up at Maki—who smiled at her sweetly like she’d seen the most beautiful thing.

“Oh, shut up.” Maki half chuckled. “I don’t think I could get rid of you if I tried. You’re too clingy! You’d just come back! Sit still idiot, I’ll find the first aid kit for you."

When Maki found the kit, she came back to the kitchen. She led Shiori to a stool, took her hands, and rubbed the jelly onto them. 

Shiori looked puzzled. “Uh, won't they be healed in a few days? I don’t think you have to—"

“If you say one thing, I swear, I won't EVER do this AGAIN. Is that what you want?”

"No! What? I didn't say ANYTHING." Shiori said, smiling. She let Maki finish and didn’t once say a word.

It was rare to see Maki blush, as she was always so serious and annoyingly self assured. That morning was the first time in a while she'd seen her that way, that red in the face. Must've been from embarrassment.

Shiori somewhat remembered that Maki was embarrassed to hold her hand on the first day, too. And sure, she was flushed then. But they’d been so touchy and affectionate in the three months since, that Shiori was truthfully surprised to see Maki blush, if only lightly, as she finished her task.

It wasn’t the embarrassed red of back then, but the blush that came with pure, unbridled joy.

“Why are you smiling?” Maki asked.

“I could ask you the same thing.” Shiori said, with a look that could only be classified as cheeky.

“What? I’m not smiling.”

Shiori wouldn’t hurt her pride, not today.

“Now, let’s finish these cupcakes before Madame Fuuka knows you burned yourself and, nearly, the kitchen too!" Maki announced, putting down the kit.

Maki touched the tops of the cakes. “They're cool. I think we can frost them now. Wanna watch?” Maki then took a piping bag, and with concentration, made a full swirl atop a cupcake.

Shiori stared at the swirl for a few seconds, before she looked back at Maki with wide eyes. “How are you so good at this?” she asked in awe.

“What, cupcakes?”

“No—well yes—? I mean, the baking thing. How’re you so good at it?”

“Ena had a phase when she was little where she would bake all the time. Like, ALL the time. Actually, you know Madame Fuuka had to limit her to baking two times a week? It was bad. Anyways, I helped her out when Hisao couldn't." 

Once Maki finished frosting a row of cupcakes, she took two out of them and handed one to Shiori. "Now let's see how well that training paid off." she said.

Shiori bit into it, and immediately melted. “Oh my GOD, these are a billion times better than the other ones! Why don't we own a bakery?"

Maki nodded, her mouth full. "Well it's Cook's recipe, not ours. But I know! I can't believe that this was ACTUALLY a success!"

"Mhm!"

Still, Shiori knew that Maki wasn't as excited as she said she was. Shiori didn't doubt that their cupcakes were better than that bakery's, (surprisingly) but living in the orphanage had only proven to her that Maki had the smallest sweet tooth she'd ever seen.

Maki took a few bites of her own cupcake for courtesy, then offered it to Shiori. Shiori took it, munching on both cupcakes and brainstorming on a sweet that'd make Maki as happy as these cupcakes made her.

\---------------------------------------------

Having lived with her for three months, Shiori knew all there was to know about Maki Harukawa. And by now, she knew that Maki was contradictory.

Shiori was affectionate. Maki and everyone knew it. It was like the lack of attention at her old home left her with a need for touch and closeness with others.

Ever since she and Maki had met, Shiori never lied about what she wanted. If Maki didn’t like it, she would’ve said so. But it bothered her when Maki would say stuff like “We’re not friends.” or, “This is temporary.” or, “I do this with all the kids. It’s only ‘till they’re taken.” when she KNEW that Maki did care.

It didn’t happen nowadays—it was obvious the two were close. And Maki couldn’t deny the comfort that came from what was as small as having someone with her. Whether it was having Hisao back to back with her as the two bookworms read their own books, having Shiori’s head leaned on her’s when they watched TV, or even when Madame Fuuka still sometimes braided her hair.

And yet, Maki was still contradictory.

Sometimes when it was too hot, Maki would stay awake past the point where even Shiori would be knocked out to read, read, read.

While Shiori had to pull a pillow over her head because of Maki’s lamp, the latter was too enthralled with whatever the book of the week was to notice.

“It’s all I can do to drift off when it's hot.” she’d told Shiori, with no mention that the next day she wouldn't wake up until Madame Fuuka had to come in and do it herself.

However, what annoyed her wasn’t that Maki stayed up, but that she’d then be mad at Shiori when SHE didn’t want to wake up at the hour that Maki INSISTED they should. It was like Maki didn’t know whether she wanted to be a good model, or be the embodiment of “I’m older, therefore I can do it, but YOU can’t.”

Shiori knew that Maki was contradictory. And after a week of thinking about what the girl's favorite sweet would be, Shiori settled on the conclusion that Maki loved chocolate.

She wasn’t sure that Maki was aware of it. At the cupcakery, Maki didn’t so much as look at the other cupcakes when she saw the chocolate one with the cherry on top, going so far as to thinking it was better than the others when Shiori didn’t taste a difference.

Yes, Maki apparently LOVED chocolate. That was obvious. She’d picked the chocolate cupcake, the cakes Cook made for her birthday were ALWAYS made with chocolate in it, and it was the only candy that she had often and without complaint.

And yet, the contradictory Maki didn't notice it. And if Shiori told her, she'd shake it off. She couldn't just tell her. So, when Shiori came to that conclusion, she wanted to test a theory.

They'd finished cleaning after a day of baking, and Maki was sitting at the table in the main room when Shiori came in, seemingly reading a good book judging by the intensity of her stare and apparently oblivious to all external activity.

Shiori smiled to herself—a smile which, had Maki noticed it, would've caused her to be suspicious at the "tea" Shiori said she would bring for them. 

Shiori walked over to the table and set a mug down next to Maki's arm, and sat on the couch with two of her dolls—waiting for her reaction.

She didn’t have to wait long.

Someone sputtered, and Shiori looked up to find Maki, whipped cream on her chin and half of her nose, staring at the drink like it had grown teeth and bitten her.

It looked so utterly stupid, that Shiori burst into a bundle of laughter.

Maki furrowed her brows, and touched the whipped cream on her nose with her free hand. “This isn’t tea.” Maki commented, and the statement set Shiori off into more laughter.

“No?” Shiori wheezed. “No, it's not tea, you dummy. It's hot chocolate. Haven't you had it before?”

“I have. But…” Maki sneered in suspicion, which would've seemed much more intimidating if she didn’t still have whipped cream on her face. “Why?”

“I don’t know.” Shiori fibbed. “As a thanks? You know, for NOT letting me burn down the kitchen?” 

Maki rolled her eyes.

“Just drink it.” Shiori added. “Oh! And clean your nose, you’ve got some whip cream on it." 

There was silence for several minutes, and Shiori assumed that Maki had simply went back to her book and forgotten about the drink. Shiori was starting to feel a bit of disappointment, when suddenly—

“Umesaki.” Shiori lowered her dolls to see a shy Maki. “Could—could you make me some more? I can't believe I'm admitting this—I mean, it'll all go to your ego—but that was good.”

Maki didn't understand why at this request, Shiori yelled triumphantly. "YES! I found it!"

It didn't take long for the realization to hit Maki.

\---------------------------------------------

After a few weeks into their culinary adventures, with cakes and hot chocolate they'd made that still couldn't compare to Cook's, Maki and Shiori went into the main room after dinner.

A cartoon was on the television, with its colorful characters on screen, and the lights of the room were dimmed—creating a cozy atmosphere.

“This has been fun, I didn't think we'd be so into it.” Maki mumbled. “Maybe cut down on the frosting. I might start vomiting rainbows.”

“No way! That’s what makes it delicious!”

“Honestly, Umesaki. At this rate we'll die of diabetes by the time we’re thirty.” Maki said bluntly. "Maybe we should take a break before we try making any sweets again."

“Shh! I can’t hear—your yapping is louder than the TV.” With her sight stuck to the TV, Shiori didn't see Maki scowl at her. Still, the latter laughed as she sipped her hot chocolate, and sank into the sofa.

Having heard of their passion project, other children plopped into the pillows in the room with cupcakes and slices of cake in hand. There wasn’t a word said, but all of them concentrated on the TV and watched cartoons well into the evening in a room that reeked of a grandmother’s kitchen with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.


End file.
